An encounter between a reckless visitor and a small porcupine quickly went south but not in the way you expected.
A Redditor reshared a TikTok video to the r/WinStupidPrizes subreddit.
(Click here to watch the video if the embed does not appear.)
The footage shows a man approaching the porcupine from behind seeking to grab it. As it moves its tail and quills, one off-screen companion makes nervous sounds and laughs at first. Other people off-screen, likely kids, call it "cute" as well.
Undeterred by the porcupine's resistance to him, the man eventually picks it up by its tail. All seems to be going well at first. The crowd oohs and ahhs as the man holds and displays the porcupine, but the animal has other plans.
The man shrieks in agony as the porcupine bites him out of nowhere. His reaction evokes Quint's death by shark in Jaws.
The lesson in this case is to not mess with wild animals. It's important to not underestimate them because of their size or perceived cuteness. Redditors weren't sure the man was out of the woods by any means, even after he insisted he was fine.
"He should get a rabies shot," a poster suggested. "The quills would hurt, but the bite definitely gave him something."
Porcupines, like many other wild animals, can coexist peacefully with humans when left undisturbed. However, interactions like these can not only harm people but also pose risks to the animals involved.
In some instances, animals that injure humans can face euthanasia, regardless of provocation. That's why the U.S. National Park Service recommends a healthy distance between humans and wildlife to reduce risks.
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Definitely 👍 Those directives unfortunately go unheeded too often when it comes to animals with less threatening appearances like bear cubs. Respecting wildlife is crucial for safety and conserving our environment.
Redditors had more reactions to the porcupine saga's plot twist.
"Should be in r/unexpected because I'm fairly certain we all thought he was going to get quilled," a commenter wrote.
"Why do people always have to be so intrusive?" a user asked. "Poor porcupine was just out on a stroll, away from the wife and kids for the first time in a while, taking a mental health break."
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