You may be familiar with porcupines because of their long, sharp quills. In fact, a single porcupine may have 30,000 quills covering its back, sides, and tail!
The word “porcupine” comes from Latin roots meaning “quill pig”. But the porcupine is actually a rodent, not a pig.
The North American porcupine is the second largest rodent in North America, right behind the beaver. It weighs 9 kg (20 lb.) and measures 60-90 cm (2-3 ft.) in length.
North American porcupines have soft brown or black fur, with white or tan quills mixed in.
They can be found in a range of habitats including forests, grasslands, shrublands, and tundra. Their range includes Canada, northeastern and western United States, and northern Mexico.
They are mostly nocturnal animals, which means they are active at night. During the day, North American porcupines can often be found up in trees sleeping, resting or eating.
In fact, they are excellent climbers. They have long sharp claws which help them grip the bark.
Interestingly, North American porcupines are also good swimmers! But on the ground, porcupines are slow, traveling at about 3 km/h (2 mph).
What are Porcupine Quills?
Porcupine quills are specially-modified hairs about 5-7 cm (2-3 in.) in length. Made of keratin, the quills are hollow and have sharp tips and overlapping barbs.
Like regular hair, porcupines shed their quills throughout their life and grow new ones in to replace them.
Porcupine Defense
Normally, a porcupine’s quills lie flat on its body. When threatened, a porcupine will first release a foul odor (similar to the smell of human body odor or stinky cheese) from the base of its tail.
If the threat persists, the porcupine will puff its quills up and turn its back at the predator. Though porcupines cannot shoot their quills out, the quills do detach easily. So if an animal gets too close, the quills will become lodged in their skin.
The barbs on the quills expand with heat, meaning the longer the quills stay embedded, the harder it becomes to pull them out.
A porcupine’s quills serve as a great defense against predators. Occasionally, bobcats, cougars, great horned owls, and coyotes prey on porcupines.
But the porcupine’s most effective predator is the fisher, which is a kind of weasel. Fishers have the ability to flip porcupines over and attack their soft bellies.
If porcupines ever accidentally poke themselves with their own quills, there is some good news for them: they will not get infections from their wounds. Their quills are coated in fatty acids which act like an antibiotic.
What North American Porcupines Eat
North American porcupines are herbivores. They have poor eyesight and find food with their excellent sense of smell.
In the winter, they eat evergreen needles and the inner bark of trees. In the spring and summer, they eat berries, seeds, grasses, leaves, roots, and buds.
They love salt, and often chew on canoe oars or ax handles that have sweat on them.
Like all rodents, porcupine teeth never stop growing. Similar to beavers, they have two large, orange front teeth. Their teeth are orange because there is iron oxide in their enamel, which makes their teeth stronger.
Porcupine Reproduction
In general, North American porcupines are shy, solitary animals, but they come together during the breeding season in fall or early winter. They make their winter dens in tree hollows, rock ledges, and caves.
Female porcupines are pregnant for seven months. They give birth to one baby, called a porcupette, in spring or early summer. When first born, porcupettes have soft quills, but they quickly harden up after a few hours.
After six months, porcupettes are ready to live on their own.
Conservation Status
North American porcupines are a species of least concern according to the IUCN Red List. But they do face threats such as deforestation, development, hunting, and vehicle collisions.
In the wild, they live about 5-7 years on average but can live as long as 18 years.
What You Can Do to Help
If you encounter a porcupine in the wild, keep your distance. If you have a dog, keep it leashed. Porcupines will leave you alone and carry on if you do not approach them.
North American Porcupine Range
More Porcupine Resources
- Smithsonian National Zoo: North American Porcupine
- National Geographic: Porcupine
- Massachusetts Audubon: Porcupine
- Cleveland Museum of Natural History: Porcupine
Quick Fact Sheet
Common Name(s): North American Porcupine
Scientific Name: Erethizon dorsatum
Animal Type: mammal
Size: 60-90 cm (2-3 ft.) long
Weight: 9 kg (20 lb.)
Lifespan: Up to 18 years
Conservation Status: Least Concern
About the Author
Abi Cushman is a contributing editor of Animal Fact Guide and My House Rabbit. When she's not writing about weird animal facts, Abi writes and illustrates funny books for kids. Her picture books, Soaked! and Animals Go Vroom!, are available now from Viking Children's Books.
To learn more and to download free activity sheets, visit www.abicushman.com. Follow her on Instagram at @Abi.Cushman.
