Cute pics of Blondie the rare albino porcupine at London Zoo

Limelight-loving Blondie is predicted to be a hit at the London Zoo's late-night opening event, as her white quills will stand out in the darkness

by: Claire Burke
5 August 2009

MEET Blondie, a rare albino porcupine.

Despite being prickly on the outside, this pale creature shows she’s a friendly little thing as she snuggles up to sister Nancy at London Zoo.

Blondie is expected to be a real showstopper at London Zoo Nights on Friday, the annual late-night opening event at the Regent's Park venue, as her white prickles are sure to stand out while her three sisters blend into the darkness

Keeper Angela Ryan said: "Blondie is quite an attention seeker anyway, so being more visible than her sisters as it gets darker will suit her down to the ground."

Albino porcupines often have softer, hair-like quills rather than the sharper spines which the animals use to defend themselves from predators.

Their appearance can cause confusion in the wild. With their lack of distinctive striped quills, the creatures are often mistaken for other animals.

A sleepy albino porcupine made headlines in Chelsea after a photographer mistook it for an unknown species.

For more information on what else is happening at London Zoo Nights, including jazz on the lawn and a special evening version of the Animals in Action show, see www.zsl.org.

More photos at: http://www.thelondonpaper.com/thelondonpaper/weird/odd-news/cute-pics-of-blondie-the-rare-albino-porcupine-at-london-zoo