Porcupines spend much of their time in trees and are strong climbers. Some are able to use their prehensile tails to aid in climbing. It was once believed that porcupines were able to shoot their quills at predators, but this has been proven to be untrue. 1)
The name porcupine comes from the Old French word porc d’espine, which means “thorny pig.” There are also Old English variants that include “porcupyne” and “porcapyne.” 2)
The porcupine is a mammal in the porcupine family that is a rodent. 3)
Depending on the subspecies, porcupines can reach from forty-five to as much as ninety centimeters. 4)
Porcupines can range in weight from fifteen to thirty pounds. 5)
At birth, the spines of young porcupines are fine and soft like hair. They harden only after a few days, performing a defensive function against predators. 6)
In the wild, porcupines live an average of about five to seven years. However, they live up to twenty years in captivity. 7)
For many years, it was believed in the theory that the porcupine was able to shoot its spikes at the enemy. However, this is not true. 8)
A porcupine attack rarely results in infection because its quills have the same properties as antibiotics. 9)
The African porcupine is found in Senegal, Tanzania, Libya, Tunisia, Morocco, and Algeria. 10)
Porcupines live either alone or in larger groups consisting of two adults with their offspring. 11)
Porcupines spend their days in caves or burrows and are active mainly at night. 12)
Porcupines are primarily herbivorous. Their main food is leaves, fruits, rhizomes, and bark. 13)
Porcupines are monogamous animals. The reproductive period repeats periodically once a year. Porcupine pregnancy lasts from 66 to 112 days, after which time the female gives birth to young. Their number varies from one to three. 14)
Malayan porcupines are found in various parts of Asia, including India, Nepal, China, Indonesia, and Malaysia. 15)
Porcupines, right after capybaras and beavers, are among the largest rodents in the world. 16)
The Philippine porcupine, also known as the Palawan porcupine, is a species found only in the islands of Palawan. 17)