COMMON NAME: Porcupine

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Erethizon dorsatum

Porcupine looks deceitfully cuddly! His face has short black hair and small dark eyes. His long guard hairs lay over his specialized hairs; he appears to be soft. But, there are tens-of-thousands of those "specialized hairs", better known as quills. His body, about inches long is chunky, his back is arched. There are more quills on his rump and tail. His legs are short with long curved claws on his toes. If you have a chance to see the front of his face, you may notice his large, orange incisors.

Quills are specialized hairs. Each has a small root and a barbed tip. The small root allows for quick and easy detachment. The barbed tip expands from the body heat of the recipient. As the barbs expand the quill moves deeper into the tissues. Occasionally, a quill will move deep inside the recipient, puncture a vital organ and result in the animal’s death.

Mating in October or November, gestation is 7 month. One young is born in May or June, complete with quills. Born head first, the quills are soft and do not harm the mother; the quills harden in about 30 minutes. Weighing 1 pound, he is able to climb and eat solid foods within a few hours of birth. He is mature when 3 years old and may live 7 -8 years.

Fisher, mountain lion, bobcat and coyote are predators. He flips porcupine over top attack his underbelly.

Porcupine cannot shoot his quills, but a SLAP of his tail will send many quills into his attacker. He lives in woodland and forest areas. He prefers to escape up a tree rather than face an attacker. He will den in a hollow tree, underground burrow, crevice or tree.

Solitary and nocturnal, porcupine is a slow, but excellent climber. An herbivore, he feeds on leaves, twigs, green plants and inner bark; he is find of salt. He can kill trees by stripping its bark; he may gnaw on and damage buildings, furniture and tools.