The
porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) is a slow-moving, docile rodent. They
are also vegetarians and mostly nocturnal. Their scientific name, Erethizon,
means to "irritate with back." This is an understatement if you have ever been
jabbed by a porcupine quill.
Contrary to popular belief, porcupines cannot shoot their quills. They release the barbed points when something else (like a dog's nose) comes into contact with them. If attacked, they will swing their tails around to come into contact with their victims.
The North American porcupine has over 30,000 quills on its back and sides. The quills are actually modified hairs with a barb on the end, which can lodge itself very painfully into another animal's skin. The quills usually lie flat across the porcupine's back, unless they are provoked. When provoked, the quills stand straight up. This is usually a good sign to back off.
The porcupine's undersides are soft and vulnerable. Common porcupines generally weigh seven and a half to 15 pounds. Porcupine babies are called kittens.
Different species of porcupines are found in North and South America, Africa, Europe, and Asia. The North American porcupine can climb trees but spends most of its life on the ground. Porcupines walk with their toes pointed inwards (pigeon-toed) and have four toes on their front feet and five toes on their back feet. They eat tree bark, nuts, flowers, pine needles, leaves, grasses, and berries.
Copyright © 1999 Chintimini Wildlife Rehabilitation Center