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Porcupines are large rodents with coats of sharp spines, or quills, that protect them against predation. The term covers two families of animals: the Old World porcupines of the family Hystricidae, and the New World porcupines of the family Erethizontidae.
The North American porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum), also known as the Canadian porcupine, is a large quill-covered rodent in the New World porcupine family. It is the second largest rodent in North America after the North American beaver (Castor canadensis).
The porcupine's most famous feature—the quill—is hollow, 2 to 3 inches (5 to 7 centimeters) in length, and lightly attached to the porcupine's skin. Porcupines are covered in about 30,000 quills. Quills are not thrown or shot, as popularly conceived.
Porcupines are famed for their quills, which are actually large, stiff hairs that help defend the animals against natural predators. Contrary to popular notions, the large rodents can't throw their quills at an enemy, says Jeffrey Karp, a bioengineer at Harvard Medical School in Boston.
Mar 3, 2017 · We’re celebrating the newest member of the Small Mammal House, a baby prehensile tailed porcupine, by taking a closer look at one of the species' defining characteristics—quills! At birth, a porcupette’s quills are soft, but they become stiff and sharp within minutes.
Sep 4, 2023 · One distinct characteristic of porcupines is their quills. These quills are actually modified hairs that can be easily detached and embedded into the skin of predators. They serve as a formidable defense mechanism, deterring potential threats.
A single encounter with a porcupine—even a casual sniff, a curious poke with a paw—can unleash hundreds of quills, and a porcupine who has recently been in a skirmish can often be identified by a bald patch where some careless beast has made the mistake of touching it.
porcupine, any of several species of large, herbivorous, quill-bearing rodents active from early evening to dawn. All have short stocky legs, but their tails range from short to long, some being prehensile.
The porcupine is the prickliest of rodents, though its Latin name means “quill pig.” There are more than two dozen porcupine species, and all boast a coat of needle-like quills to give...
Aug 19, 2021 · Fast Facts: Porcupines. ∙ Basics: The American porcupine is a large rodent with sharp quills. Their fur is brownish-yellow to black. Their quills are usually white or yellow. ∙ Stats: The average weight of an adult porcupine is 20-25 pounds. The average length of an adult porcupine is 2-3 feet long. The American Porcupine is the 2nd largest ...
