Chaos prevailed for some time at Shastripuram near Nehru Zoological Park on Tuesday night after a porcupine was spotted in the locality by residents.
The unusual sight of the creature created anxiety and fear among the locals. The residents informed the police, who then alerted the forest department.
The Indian porcupine (Hystrix indica), a member of the rodent family, is primarily found in tropical and temperate scrublands, grasslands, and forests. These animals have a broad, mostly herbivorous diet, feeding on fruits, grains, roots, and other plant material. They also chew on bones to obtain essential minerals.