Porcupine’s death at Denver Zoo inspires community, cultural teaching

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go through Darren Thompson

February 15, 2023

DENVER — A much-loved North American porcupine died last month at the Denver Zoo with an unexpected end.

when the zoo Announce After Quill the porcupine passed away on social media, Lakota artist Danielle Seewalker came up with an idea to honor the porcupine and harvest its setae through a community project.

“I’ve been funding and facilitating a quill workshop with an elder in the community, so I plan to contact the zoo and pay tribute to Quill,” Seewalker told local news online“I’ve explained to the zoo that embroidery is a dying art and that people in urban environments don’t have access to porcupines that might be on the side of the road like we do in our home in the Dakotas.”

Seewalker is a Hunkpapa Lakota writer, artist and activist from the Standing Rock Indian Reservation. She previously collaborated on a conservation art mural project honoring the American bison and has a strong relationship with the Denver Zoo. Additionally, she is co-chair of the Denver American Indian Council.

“It would be a good learning experience for urban natives who have never cleaned a porcupine and harvested its quills,” Seewalker proposes. “In exchange, we will make and donate a quill to the Denver Zoo in honor of Quayle’s life.”

In addition to donating the completed work to the zoo, there is a plaque describing the unique native art quill will hang with it.

“Zoo visitors can understand that as Aboriginal people we cherish our relationship with animals and we appreciate their gifts to us,” Seewalker said.

The Denver Zoo was quick to respond and willing to accommodate Seawork’s request. On February 3, 2023, about a dozen people participated in Quill’s quill processing at the Denver Zoo.

Quayle lived at the zoo for 13 years, most of his life. In January, zoo keepers noticed a change in Quayle’s behavior and diagnosed him with advanced liver failure after emergency tests. After discussions with the zoo’s animal care staff and veterinary team, it was determined that Quayle’s prognosis for recovery was not favorable and the decision was made to euthanize her.

“The quill is a very popular animal,” said Jake Kubie, director of communications for the Denver Zoological Foundation. “He is one of our animal ambassadors and connects with many of our guests…We are honored to share Quill’s Quill with the community.”

Mar Williams, a citizen of the Choctaw Nation in Oklahoma, participated in the Quill quill collection and said he felt lucky to be a part of it.

“The trip to the zoo was a great opportunity and I was lucky to be a part of it,” Williams told local news. “I think it’s important and necessary to have something to do with death, our food, art, whatever it is, because we’ve moved away from it. I’ve never touched a porcupine before. I’m more interested in this art form now respect and deeper understanding, through the whole process of harvesting, dying and wrapping the quill.”

Williams applauds the way Seewalker and other teachers have handled the situation.

“Danielle and the other teachers did a great job with the class. It felt like we were going to be comfortable in the way we were going to learn from the elders and the community,” Williams said. “I’m a Choctaw and don’t have a direct ancestral connection to quillwork, but it feels really great to be included and connected to this art form in the wider Indigenous community sense.”

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