They’re kind of cute, but not too cuddly. This large member of the rodent family, Erethizon dorsatum (porcupine), was spotted on Sunday near Dog Creek. Porcupines were often seen in the Dog Creek/Alkali Lake area in days gone by, but are not spotted very often these days. This porcupine had just crossed the road and was trying to climb the loose gravel bank on the opposite side of the Dog Creek Road.