This past July, I was just getting into my car after a very disappointing outing looking for cool birds when I heard what sounded like a dog whimpering from the woods nearby. I was in a quiet area of Acadia National Park. It was nearing sunset, and I hadn’t seen a soul in what seemed like hours. I thought, surely this dog needed help, so I got back out of my car and walked toward the woods where this whimpering noise was coming from.
As I got to the edge of where the gravel road met the tree-brush line, a young, beautiful porcupine waddled out of the brush right next to me, whining like a puppy! I couldn’t believe my eyes or ears! I had never seen a porcupine up close before, and this little piglet showed no fear of me.
A porcupine wanders out of the forest in Acadia National Park on a July afternoon. Credit: Liz Eudy
I ran back to my car to get my camera, and I snapped a few hundred photos of this little spine piglet looking for the next delicious plant to eat. It was the most charming, lethargic, rotund little wild animal I have ever come across. It’s an experience I will never forget. The noises that came out of this little creature would make hearts melt and walls crumble.
Liz Eudy from Southwest Harbor, Maine
This story is a part of an ongoing series in which photographers share their favorite stories about photographing Maine wildlife. Stories and photos can be submitted to Act Out editor Aislinn Sarnacki at asarnacki@bangordailynews.com. In the email, include your full name and town of residence, as well as the written story and photos you wish to be considered for publication.