It is this lust for tender greenery that finds porcupines tumbling from the tree tops on a surprisingly regular basis. 1. These quills... Porcupines aren’t able to shoot them at predators as once thought, but the quills do detach easily when touched. Porcupines are 2 to 3 feet long in their head and body. They prefer tropical and temperate climates but will thrive in the appropriate conditions no matter where they are in the world – particularly parts of Asia, Southern Europe, Africa and North and South America. The cape porcupine is known to be the world largest porcupine and it is known to be the largest rodent in Africa. Both are covered with a total of 30,000 or more hollow quills. One of the distinctive yet lesser known traits of the Porcupine is its … body odor! A porcupine's prickly coat of quills is its first line of defence. It has no value as a hunted or trapped species, but it is an important member of the forest community. Porcupine is a mammal that belongs to a detachment of rodents. There may be several porcupines in a square mile of forest habitat. Weighing 5–16 kg (12–35 lb), they are rounded, large, and slow, and use aposematic strategy of defence. Zoo Ecomuseum. They will also gnaw at salt placed down to thaw ice on roads which can lead to death or injury through being knocked by motor vehicles. Its proportions are not as attractive as its animal itself. Porcupines spend their days resting in hollow trees and logs. Porcupines are nocturnal animals. Fun Facts about Porcupines. 3. Although this deviates from their herbivorous diet, it doesn’t change their dietary classification. Porcupines are covered in about 30,000 quills. At first glance, all porcupine species look alike. A porcupine can fell a whole tree if it removes too much bark. Each species is different, yet all have a few similar qualities. Contrary to popular myth, a porcupine’s quills will not fire at enemies but rather will loosely embed in … The North American, or common porcupine is designed for life in the trees. Needless to say, porcupines are fascinating creatures. 5 fun facts about the American Porcupine. Average life span in The Wild: 5 to 7 years. There are several animal species where the female initiates mating – known as “sex role reversal”. Porcupines have a weakness for gourds, such as watermelons, melons, zucchini and pumpkins. Porcupines are herbivores, meaning that they only eat plant material. Interesting Facts And Stories. Each quill is hollow – it is yellowish in colour, with a black tip and is covered in tiny barbs. During which time they’ll learn to forage for themselves and even climb trees.eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'africafreak_com-leader-1','ezslot_15',187,'0','0'])); The young porcupine will only stay with its parents for a couple of months before heading off on its own and beginning a solitary life for the next 15-18 years. Porcupines are arboreal, built for climbing trees. They are native to South America, where they live in trees and eat fruits. Most likely, no, and it is understandable why. But there seems to be a lot of confusion about whether porcupines shoot their quills. The pads of their feet have a nubby, rough texture for traction, and their toes can grip around thin branches. Their ability to learn quickly has probably contributed to their lifestyle adaptation which keeps them protected from predators during the day. They prefer wooded habitats and are apt at climbing trees. For more videos about wildlife please subscribe :) Royalty free content brought from pond5.com and/or bigstockphoto.com Porcupine is a mammal that belongs to a detachment of rodents. They live in forests and deserts, and on rocky outcrops and hillsides. They have roundish heads, small eyes and ears and a blunt, stubby muzzle. Most porcupines are about 60–90 cm (25–36 in) long, with a 20–25 cm (8–10 in) long tail. Quills are not thrown or shot, as popularly conceived. Like most forest dwellers, porcupines are nocturnal. A porcupine's prickly coat of quills is its first line of defence. They are very vocal animals and make shrill screeches, whines and low grunts. Yet Latin isn’t the only language misidentifying the porcupine: The French word equivalent to the English porcupine is porc espin or “spined pig”. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. They are solitary during much of their lives. Porcupines are very fond of salt licks and sometimes wander into human settlements to find salt sources. Non-Projectile– Despite the common myth, porcupines cannot shoot their quills. There are currently no reviews for this product, be the first to write one! Fun Facts About Porcupine Rays. If for some reason they lose some of their needles, they will soon grow new ones. The New World porcupines are indigenous to North America and northern South America. This means that they prefer to sleep during the day and be up and moving during the night. The largest rodent in Africa This porcupine is the heaviest and largest rodent found in Africa. The lifespan of wild Indian crested porcupines is unknown, but the oldest known captive individual was a female that lived to be 27.1 years old. Porcupettes are born with quills but, luckily for the mother, these quills are soft and only harden a few hours after birth. Preserve Québec's wildlife. Their long claws and excellent balance allow them to grip and scale even the tallest of trees. They have curved claws and powerful curved feet to grasp and climb. Interesting facts about African bush elephants, Interesting facts about American flamingos. Prehensile-tailed porcupines, also called coendous, are one of 12 species of New World porcupines. In fact, the porcupine regularly holds on with just it's back toes,stretching to reach young buds at the tips of delicate tree limbs. The longest quills are found on their back and behind, while the shortest ones are on their face. Porcupine Quills Porcupines have soft hair, but on their back, sides, and tail it is usually mixed with sharp quills. These long, pliable quills act as guard hairs and form a “skirt.” When threatened, the skirt can be erected, making the porcupine appear two to three times bigger. 5 fun facts about the American Porcupine. The quills of New World porcupines are much smaller (about 4 inches or 10 centimeters long) but work just as well. Roughly 30,000 quills cover the whole body except for the stomach, nose and bottom of their feet. Required fields are marked *. Enter your email for your weekly dose of ‘wild Africa’ directly to your inbox. One of the olfactory signals porcupines use is a pungent … The average life expectancy of a wild porcupine is 5 to 6 years, while their captive counterparts have been known to live up to 10 years. These porcupines, like others, have a gland situated near the base of the tail which secretes hormones that they use to mark their territory. Porcupines are large rodents with defensive spines or quills on the body and tail. Your email address will not be published. Your email address will not be published. At the base of the tail, the porcupine has blunt, hollow quills that rattle when shaken, serving as a warning to potential predators. 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