Scientific Classification Kingdom Animalia Phylum Chordata Class Mammalia Order Rodentia Family Erethizontidae Subfamily Erethizontinae Genus Erethizon Scientific Name […] Median Life Expectancy: 10 years. Get a close look into what happens in the bedroom of a porcupine and learn… 9. The North American porcupines also eat fruit, leaves, and springtime blossoms. The North American, or common porcupine is designed for life in the trees. Because quills are so lightly attached, they come off easily when a predator encounters them. Fun facts about North American Porcupines One porcupine may have as many as 30,000 quills, each of possesses tiny backward pointing barbs. Depending on the species female porcupines have between one and four offspring. The average weight of an adult male porcupine ranges from 22 to 27 pounds (about 10-12 kg), but some individuals can weigh up to 30 pounds (13.6 kg). The porcupine is best known for its sharp spikes and fierce look, helping it shield itself from predators. Can stay in the same tree or bush for days Facts About North American Porcupine Baby porcupines are called “porcupettes” and are born with soft spines that harden within one hour of birth Have 30,000 quills Can … Here are 8 Interesting Facts About Porcupine. Threats: North American porcupines are a species of Least Concern. In fact, It is an herbivorous animal with pines, or quills, as they are called, all across their body, except the face, underbelly and limbs. Porcupines have a stout, slow, lumbering form and a spiny coat. Stable Threatened Endangered. Porcupines come in various shades of brown, grey, and the unusual white. Porcupine Quills are dangerous to dogs because once they… What does a North American Porcupine look like? Porcupines are easy to observe as they are slow to move away and are noticeable when climbing trees, which they frequently do. This species can also be found in grasslands, desert shrub, and sometimes even the tundra. Porcupines have a relatively high longevity and have held the record for being the longest-living rodent, with one individual living to 27 years, until the record was broken in 2002 by a naked mole-rat living to 28 years. Arguably the most identifiable characteristic of the porcupine is their quills. The North American porcupine is an herbivore; it … Geography of the North American Porcupine. Porcupine conservation status varies according to species. Porcupines are selective eaters; out of 1000 trees, one or two are acceptable Lindens, and one is a Bigtooth Aspen. They have curved claws and powerful curved feet to grasp and climb. Common name: North American Porcupine; Scientific name: Erethizon dorsatum Order: Rodentia; Family: Erethizontidae; Also known as. When another animal attacks the porcupine, its quills detach, burrowing into the adversary’s flesh and inflicting painful, potentially deadly wounds. We were walking along and suddenly my dog lunged toward something on the side of the road that then began to slide down the banking backwards towards us. North American porcupines are native to the coniferous and mixed-forest habitats of Canada, the northeastern and western regions of the United States and northern Mexico. It is distributed throughout most of the timbered areas of North America. The quills are embedded in the skin and muscle of the animal. – Source 3. Because of its dangerous quills, the … When porcupine is threatened, the quills rise to make a pincushion defense. The twelve different New World species can be found from the Arctic Circle in North America to South America. Porcupines have poor vision but have an acute sense of smell. North America. Both porcupine families include some of the longest-lived rodents known to science. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classifies some species as "least concern," including the North American porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) and long-tailed porcupine (Trichys fasciculata). The “Old World” porcupines live mainly in southern Europe, Asia, and Africa. North American porcupines have an appetite for wood and use their large front teeth to help them munch on bark and stems. North American porcupines are the second largest rodent in North America. Porcupines do not throw their quills. with the tail adding 14.5 cm (5.5 in). Enter your email Porcupines have natural antibiotics in their skin and are the only mammals native to North America to have such protection. The North American porcupine is usually found in forests, where it spends time on the ground as well as in trees. Viewing opportunities. The North American porcupine is the second largest rodent species found in North America. Diet. The porcupine has excellent senses of smell, hearing, and taste. They're not found in southeastern United States and southeastern Mexico. Only beavers are larger. They can be found in forests but also have adapted to living in more harsh conditions such as deserts. The name "porcupine" comes from Middle French porc d'épine "thorny pork", hence the nickname "quill pig" for the animal. It is actually North America’s second largest rodent (the beaver is … North American porcupines are native to the coniferous and mixed-forest habitats of Canada, the northeastern and western areas of the United States, and northern Mexico. This large nocturnal rodent has also developed a unique hairstyle in the name of personal protection. Most porcupines are about 60–90 cm long, with a 20–25 cm long tail. Taxonomically, the way scientists assign order to species using Latin names, the North American Porcupine, Erethizon dorsatum, is the only species (dorsatum) in its genus (Erethizon). The slow-moving North American porcupine is Canada's second-largest rodent (beavers are larger). Even with their formidable spiny defence the North American porcupine is preyed upon successfully by several predators including mountain lions and fishers. North American Porcupine Latin Name Erethizon dorsatum History at CuriOdyssey Our female porcupine was born May 2018. Males are larger than females. Instead they lift their quills to stand on end and if contact is made, they will release from the skin to … Porcupines frequently climb trees… Porcupines are the thi rd largest rodents in the world, and the second largest in North America. A single porcupine can have more than 30,000 quills, which are actually sharp bristles of fused hair. North American porcupines can have up to 30,000 quills covering their body. Porcupines have strong, short legs and their feet have hairless soles to help it climb trees. The North American Porcupine has dark fur with light colored quills. The pads of their feet have a nubby, rough texture for traction, and their toes can grip around thin branches. Name. American Indians may use the porcupine as a source of food and adornment. It is a large rodent encountered equally in the “Old World” and in North America and northern South America. Have 30,000 quills. Porcupines are covered in about 30,000 quills. The hollow quills are woven into baskets and headdresses, and cut sections are used like beads to decorate birch bark boxes, moccasins, and clothing. North American porcupines are herbivores that feed a lot on herbs, grasses, wood, tree bark, foliage, buds and apples. The North American Porcupine is a large rodent. North American porcupines, as their names convey, live exclusively in North America -- in the United States, Canada and Mexico. The North American porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) has the most northerly range of all porcupines.After the beaver the the North Amerincan porcupine is the second largest rodent in North America. North American Porcupine Not too long ago on one of our early morning dog walks (in the dark with headlamps and reflective gear this time of year) we came across a porcupine . At first, babies have soft quills but they harden within a few days. It has a distinctive spiny coat and moves in slow lumbering fashion. The second largest rodent in North America (beavers are the largest), porcupines are herbivores, dining on leaves, grasses, twigs, buds, and the bark of the same trees these nocturnal animals hide in during the day to sleep. North American Porcupine. North American Porcupines are the second largest rodents in the United States, tipping the scales at 20 pounds. Adult females weigh 15 to 18 pounds (7-8.5 kg), about ten percent less than the males. The North American porcupine can live for 23 years, while South … Facts About North American Porcupine. Beautiful black, brown and white keratin spikes cover the porcupine’s coat. Porcupine. Article media libraries that feature this video: North American porcupine, Porcupine Inspire your inbox – Sign up for daily fun facts about this day in history, updates, and special offers. They usually appear dark brown to black, although some of the hairs and spines on the backs of these animals are yellow. Baby porcupines are called “porcupettes” and are born with soft spines that harden within one hour of birth. Second largest rodent in North America next to the beaver. Adult porcupines w They cannot throw or shoot their quills. Interesting Facts about the North American Porcupine The North American porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) is a large rodent that can be found from Canada and Alaska into northern Mexico. Fun Facts. The back is covered in spines (called quills) from head to tail. They weigh between 5 and 14 kg, and are 600 to 900 mm long. – Source 2. Porcupines that live on the ground and inhabit deserts, grasslands, and forests are the ones in Africa, Europe, and Asia. National Park Service Image Source. 1-5 Interesting Facts About Porcupine 1. Weighing between 12-35 pounds (5–16 kg), they are rounded, large and slow.