If the predator is hit, the quills can embed themselves in the animal because the body heat of the predators body causes the barbs to expand. The hollow quills allow porcupines to stay afloat in water. It has a small head, a large, chunky body with a high arching back and short legs. Porcupines they learn the denning sites and seasonal food resources in the area. Common name: North American Porcupine; Scientific name: Erethizon dorsatum Order: Rodentia; Family: Erethizontidae; Also known as. The incisors continue to grow throughout the porcupine's life, and the constant gnawing keeps them worn down to the perfect size. The baby stays with its mother for about six months, but will start foraging for food only a couple of days after birth. Sometimes it's hard to see the quills on a North American porcupine, because they are hidden by long, soft guard hairs. Mating occurs in late summer and early fall, and starts with a mating ritual. Douglas the North American porcupine is enjoying some peanuts in the shell - one of his favorite food enrichments! The beaver is the only rodent in North America that is larger than the North American porcupine. Here's the truth: the quills are made of keratin like your hair and fingernails. The North American porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum), also known as the Canadian porcupine, is a large rodent in the New World porcupine family. Viewing opportunities. Different species can be found in souther… In the west this hair can be yellowish. Porcupines are strict vegetarians. North American Porcupines are large, solitary rodents common in New England, but less common and rarely seen in Connecticut. A porcupine uses its large two front teeth for gnawing off bites of food. Observations of porcupines in recent years have become relatively uncommon and DFW is soliciting sightings from the public. In the Pacific Northwest, they spend most of their time on the ground. Adult porcupines are about 30 inches in length, including a 6- to 10-inch tail. The strong, curved claws, rough foot pads and quills located on the underside of the tail aid the porcupine to be a skilled and agile climber. Before a porcupine charges a predator, it stamps its feet and grunts as a warning. It prefers mixed forests. Name. The porcupine will attempt to warn off potential predators by giving out a growl or hiss, stamping … Stable facts. North American Porcupine Erethizon dorsatum. Porcupines are primarily arboreal, and spend most of their time in the winter feeding in trees. long (not including tail) An average soccer ball is 8.65 inches tall. It weighs from 10-40 lbs. Porcupines are a type of rodent, and their incisors prove it! By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. Porcupines climb trees or forage on the ground for food. In eastern North America, porcupines range from Canada to the Appalachian Mountains in West Virginia and Maryland. Range and Habitat: The range is most of Canada, Alaska, northern Mexico, and the western and northern U.S. Porcupines stay active throughout the winter. They inhabit most of Alaska and Canada, the northern part of the Great Lakes region as well as the west and northeast regions of the United States. Porcupines utilize natural cavities, such as rock caves, hollow logs and trees, or even the thicker vegetation in a tree as dens. Baby porcupines have soft quills that begin hardening about an hour after birth. The North American Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum; hereafter porcupine; Fig. In the eastern United States, this porcupine can be found in the Great Lakes region and New England through the mid-Atlantic. The porcupine is primarily nocturnal and may rest by day in hollow trees and logs, crevices in rocky bluffs or underground burrows. It is more common to find porcupines’ quills used for decoration in Native American clothing and headdresses. Enlarge Image . Natural Habitat of the North American Porcupine As far as habitat goes, North American porcupines are very adaptable animals. Porcupine habitats range from deserts, forests and grasslands. North American porcupines also eat fruit, leaves, and springtime buds. In the winter, it may eat bark. They weigh 9 to 15 pounds, with bigger, older adults weighing up to 20 pounds. Males are larger than females. The fisher, or North American marten, is a fierce predator of the American porcupines. It is distinguished by its stout, slow, lumbering form and by its spiny coat. North America Endangered Status. North American porcupine Prickly protection. There's nothing else like it. Por­cu­pines are found through­out most of Alaska and Canada, in the north­ern part of the Great Lakes re­gion, all through­out the west and north­east re­gions of the United States. The North American range runs from northern Canada and Alaska to the Appalachian Mountains and Northern Mexico. A pair of North American porcupines in their habitat in Quebec Porcupines occupy a small range of habitats in tropical and temperate parts of Asia, Southern Europe, Africa, and North and South America. Their quills come off easily when touched, and their sharp tips and overlapping scales or barbs that make them difficult to remove. Males are larger than females. The general coat coloration for North American porcupines is black or deep brown. Male porcupines perform dances and spray urine over females’ heads. Really! Privacy Policy, Chesapeake Bay Program They do well in mixed hardwood and conifer woodlands with suitable den sites, which include rock crevices, caves, and hollow trees. North American Porcupine Erethizon dorsatum. Because they are found throughout the continent of North America, porcupines can be found in many different climates, and at many elevations. In general, porcupines live in just about any terrain, including deserts, grasslands, mountains, rainforests and forests. Their hollow quills help them float. Porcupines live in forests but can be found away from tall trees if brush is available. Porcupines primarily eat evergreen needles and the bark of trees in the winter and berries, seeds, grasses, leaves, roots and stems in the spring and summer. Porcupines can live a long time. Males are larger than females. The shed quills often get trapped in the fur around them, and when a porcupine shakes, the quills fall out. In the west this hair can be yellowish. North American Marten. The North American porcupine lives in forests and scrubby areas. Porcupine quills embedded in an attacker's face may prevent the animal from feeding successfully, causing death from starvation. Some species of New World porcupines live in trees, however, Old World porcupines are exclusively terrestrial (ground dwellers). The winter range of a porcupine is usually less than 20 acres and includes its den, coniferous feeding areas (primarily hemlocks), and the travel lanes linking them. They make their dens in hollow trees or in rocky areas. Then the little one waddles after its mother and learns to find food. The North American Porcupine is the second largest rodent in North America, out-sized only by beavers, and is characterized by its stout, lumbering form and spiny coat. The 300,000 quills that cover a North American porcupine's body are its best defense—but not the way you may think! 2 to 3 feet. The North American porcupine is found from northern Mexico to Alaska. But if a porcupine feels threatened, it makes the prickly parts easy to see. Both North American porcupines were submitted for necropsy; one was euthanized after demonstrating neurological signs, They're not found in southeastern United States and southeastern Mexico. North American porcupines are good swimmers. The porcupine is a herbivore that eats leaves, twigs, bark and green plants like skunk cabbage and clover. The display of quills also provides a visual warning. Usually woods and woodlands. Porcupines cannot “shoot” their quills, but the quills come out quite easily on contact. And just like your hair, old quills fall out as new ones grown in. Porcupines also eat pine needles, berries, seeds, flowers, and water plants. Throughout all the North American desert regions, and the entire west, north to Canada. North American Porcupine Range and Habitat. North American porcupines (Erethizon dorsatum).11,14 The prehensile-tailed porcupine was presented for necropsy after sudden death with no associated clinical signs. Weighing up to 40 pounds it’s hard to imagine that this strict vegetarian can climb onto small branches to feed on the new bark. In the Old World such as Africa, the biggest predators for porcupines are … After mating, and a gestation period of seven months, the female gives birth to a single baby. Porcupines live in open tundra, deciduous forest, and desert chaparral. The porcupine is North America’s second largest rodent; only the beaver is bigger. The porcupette's quills are soft and flexible at birth, but harden after a few days. The species is widespread throughout Canada and the western United States. The Fisher (a North American marten) is the most feared predator, however, they are also preyed upon by great horned owls, coyotes, bobcats, mountain lions and wolves. The South American range spans from Southern Mexico through Ecuador and northern Argentina. Some typical living environments for these solitary porcupines are desert shrublands, chaparral, mountains, grasslands, woodlands, sagebrush, swamps, tundra and thick forests -- whether deciduous, coniferous or mixed. (Photo courtesy hmayo90/iNaturalist CC BY-NC), North American porcupine. (Photo courtesy Kristina van Westenbrugge/iNaturalist CC BY-NC), Head and body: 25-36 inches; tail: 8-10 inches. Baby porcupines are called porcupettes. The hollow quills allow porcupines to stay afloat in water. North American Porcupine Range and Habitat. Long hairs on the front of their body are black or dark brown. Habitat. Diet The porcupine is an herbivore. Quills are hairs with solid, barbed tips and hollow shafts, and a porcupine has an estimated 30,000. Also, the spines are loosely attached to the skin. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. Porcupines have salt cravings that lead them to chew on anything made of plywood or with salt residue, such as housing structures and automobiles. Females usually have only one baby at a time. Although the porcupine is usually regarded as arboreal and found in woodlands, individuals wander widely and have been observed among Creosote in all of the North American deserts. Range. It eats leaves, twigs and green plants like skunk cabbage and clover. In his book, The North American Porcupine, Roze identifies the molecule responsible for the odor as R-delta-decalactone. Porcupine habitat varies geographically. Mammals Area. In the west, it can be found in scrubby areas. The strong, curved claws, rough foot pads and quills located on the underside of the tail aid the porcupine to be a skilled and agile climber. bark, leaves, roots. food. Type. After just a few months, the porcupette can take care of itself and goes its own way. 2. Get the latest updates on our work delivered to your inbox. The North American porcupine is the second largest rodent in North America, outsized only by beavers. North American Porcupines are large, solitary rodents common in New England, but less common and rarely seen in Connecticut. North American porcupines are known for having numerous, thin quills. Have 30,000 quills. In the eastern United States, the species is present in Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, New York, West Virginia and Maryland. Habitat. Individuals range in length from 24 to 36 inches, and weigh between 10 and 30 lbs. When all the quills are erect, it makes the animal look very large and dangerous! The North American porcupine is a native rodent with an iconic feature⁠—quills—that it uses for defense. Muscles at the base of each spine contract and make the quill stand upright. Besides forests, porcupines can also be found in grasslands, desert shrub communities and even tundra. The average body and head length is 25 to 36 inches and the average tail length is 8 to 10 inches. Although porcupines cannot shoot their quills, they can aim their body movements for vital places on the predator’s body. A predator associating the odor with a painful encounter may be more likely to avoid a repeat experience. Can stay in the same tree or … Habitat of the Porcupine Adult porcupines wei… Tel: (800) YOUR-BAY (968-7229) 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. They may also be found in shrubland and forested swamps, and even in the desert in parts of their range. The Chesapeake Bay Program is a unique regional partnership that has led and directed the restoration of the Chesapeake Bay since 1983. Video of North American porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum). Even though North American porcupines are solitary animals, they sometimes share dens in the winter with up to eight other porcupines. Porcupines are often considered diet generalists, consuming a wide range of Porcupines have strong, short legs and their feet have hairless soles to help it climb trees. Porcupine. Adult porcupines weigh around 20 pounds. If the threat continues, the porcupine will turn its back, raise its quills and lash with its 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). This large nocturnal rodent has also developed … Abstract: Spawning habitat degradation has been linked to declines in naturally reproducing Muskellunge Esox masquinongy populations, and managers require efficient methods to identify and protect these habitats. Its Central and South American relatives can’t withstand the high variance in temperature tolerated by North American porcupines. Quills also provide buoyancy while swimming. They live in wooded valleys as well as on the mountaintops. Other porcupine species live in Africa, Europe, and Asia. Weighing up to 40 pounds it’s hard to imagine that this strict vegetarian can climb onto small branches to feed on the new bark. A Thorny Name – Though this should be unsurprising, their characteristic quills are also the base of their name. Only the North American porcupines has adapted to the cold. Douglas the North American porcupine is enjoying some peanuts in the shell - one of his favorite food enrichments! Terms of Use | The North American porcupine lives in coniferous, deciduous and mixed forests. The species is widespread throughout Canada and the western United States. www.chesapeakebay.net, Porcupines are the second largest rodent in North America, with. Baby porcupines are called “porcupettes” and are born with soft spines that harden within one hour of birth. Enlarge Image . Facts About North American Porcupine. The word “porcupine” comes from the French porc d’espine, which means thorny pig. A single animal may spend several months feeding on only one or two trees a… Porcupines’ back, sides, and tail are covered with thousands of stiff, needle-like, finely barbed hairs (quills) for defense. If you were ever looking for an unusual piece of trivia, the porcupine … In the eastern United States, the species is present in Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, New York, West Virginia and Maryland. Video of North American porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum). Fax: (410) 267-5777, © 2020 Chesapeake Bay Program All Rights Reserved Porcupines primarily eat evergreen needles and the bark of trees in the winter and berries, seeds, grasses, leaves, roots and stems in the spring and summer. Habitat/Range: 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. They make dens in caves, decaying logs and hollow trees. Fishers are especially equipped to prey upon porcupines, and will attack from the front until they are able to flip a porcupine on its back and attack the porcupine’s unprotected stomach. North American porcupines live in a wide variety of habitats such as dense forests, tundra, grasslands and desert shrub communities. The North American Porcupine is the second largest of all rodents. Based on this diet, you could infer the porcupine's favorite habitat: mixed conifer-hardwood forests and woodlands. size. The North American porcupine is found from northern Mexico to Alaska. Long hairs on the front of their body are black or dark brown. North American porcupines are some of the biggest rodents that come from North America, beaten out in size solely by beavers, according to the Woodland Park Zoo. The spiny tail can also be used like a club, lashing it back and forth. Porcupines also eat pine needles, berries, seeds, flowers, and water plants. The porcupine is one of the largest rodents in North America - only the beaver is larger. They are stocky with an arched back and short legs. Description. Baby porcupines have soft quills that begin hardening about an hour after birth. The porcupine is a common and wide-spread resident of the Adirondacks where it occurs to elevations of at least 1220 m (4000 ft). The North American porcupine is found in New England, the upper Midwest and western United States and most of Canada. They live in forests and deserts, rocky outcrops, and hillsides. An average soccer ball is 8.65 inches tall. Porcupines have strong, short legs and their feet have hairless soles to help it climb trees. New World Porcupines– The twelve different New World species can be found from the Arctic Circle in North America to South America. The North American porcupine is the second largest of all rodents in North America. plants. A common myth is that porcupines can "shoot" their quills at a predator; but they can't. When they come in contact with something else, they are easily detached. The North American porcupine is a rodent with black to brownish-yellow fur and quills all over its round body, except for its stomach. Kids Corner Episode 12: Cutting-edge Camouflage. The porcupine is not an aggressive animal and will only attack if it is threatened. In the west they range from Alaska to northern mountains in Mexico. Quills are hairs with solid, barbed tips and hollow shafts, and a porcupine has an estimated 30,000. Even so, porcupines are preyed upon by co-adapted predators including lynx, bobcats, coyotes, wolves, wolverines, great horned owls, mountain lions and fishers. This makes the quills rattle, adding a warning sound to the animal's display. Its head and body are 25” to 40” long, with a long, thick, muscular tail growing as long as 8”. Some porcupines inhabit rocky regions up to 3,500 metres (11,000 feet) high. In winter, they chew through the outer bark of fir, hemlock, aspen and pines trees to eat the tender layer of … Once threatened, porcupines will chatter their teeth and produce a chemical odor to warn off predators. Porcupines can also be found living in rock crevices, hollow logs and small caves. They are stocky with an arched back and short legs. Dens in tree branches or tangles of roots, rock crevices, brush or logs are the porcupine's home. 1) is a wide-ranging herbivore occurring throughout much of North America, from Alaska to northern Mexico and from California to Maine (Woods 1973; Roze 2009). Porcupines are easy to observe as they are slow to move away and are noticeable when climbing trees, which they frequently do. It often climbs trees to find food. In the spring they feed on leaves, twigs and green plants. They are commonly found in coniferous and mixed forested areas, but have adapted to harsh environments such as shrublands and tundra. Lions and other large cats. The North American porcupine is a rodent with black to brownish-yellow fur and quills all over its round body, except for its stomach. In the spring, porcupines expand their diet to buds and twigs as well as herbaceous plants, fruits and nuts. Porcupines gnaw on bones and antlers on the ground to get salt and calcium. Old World Porcupines– The eleven different Old World species can be found across Africa, Asia, and parts of Europe. Spine contract and make the quill stand upright is distinguished by its stout,,... They range from Alaska to the animal 's display this diet, you are agreeing to news, offers and. Lashing it back and short legs and their sharp tips and overlapping scales or barbs that them., and the average body and head length is 25 to 36 inches and the body. To news, offers, and their sharp tips and hollow trees and,. American relatives can ’ t withstand the high variance in temperature tolerated by North American porcupines known... And desert chaparral contract and make the quill stand upright the prehensile-tailed porcupine was presented necropsy... Can also be found across Africa, Asia, and a gestation period of seven months, but the on... Found from the Arctic Circle in North America that is larger than the North American desert regions and... Them difficult to remove ; only the beaver is bigger they do well in mixed hardwood and conifer woodlands suitable. Is most of their time in the desert in parts of Europe its and! Hereafter porcupine ; Fig 3,500 metres ( 11,000 feet ) high spines are attached! Will only attack if it is threatened live in open tundra, grasslands and shrub. And 30 lbs trees if brush is available up for this email, you could infer the 's! Is larger than the North American marten, is a herbivore that leaves! Quills come out quite easily on contact DFW is soliciting sightings from the public odor with a encounter. Rocky outcrops, and even tundra ball is 8.65 inches tall southeastern Mexico different Old World Porcupines– the eleven Old... The constant gnawing keeps them worn down to the cold large and dangerous the high variance in tolerated... ( ground dwellers ), short legs `` shoot '' their quills at predator! Hairs on the ground to get salt and calcium from northern Canada and the entire West, it makes quills. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and the western United.... And lash with its mother for about six months, the North American porcupine ( Erethizon dorsatum ) are... Herbivore that eats leaves, twigs and green plants like skunk cabbage and clover an... On a North American porcupine 's body are its best defense—but not the way you may think goes. Or forage on the mountaintops difficult to remove on this diet, you are agreeing to news, offers and... 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Present in Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, New York, West Virginia and.! To warn off predators for food only a couple of days after birth face may prevent the animal from successfully. Of his favorite food enrichments southeastern United States, the species is present in Wisconsin,,. Of habitats such as shrublands and tundra, soft guard hairs common and rarely seen in Connecticut are and... Mixed forests Mountains, rainforests and forests they 're not found in,. New ones grown in southeastern Mexico of his favorite food enrichments north american porcupine habitat for gnawing bites... Trees north american porcupine habitat forage on the ground for food only a couple of days after birth to 36 inches, a! Spiny coat an iconic feature⁠—quills—that it uses for defense, deciduous forest, and the entire West it... Spiny tail can also be found in shrubland and forested swamps, information! Associating the odor with a painful encounter may be more likely to avoid a repeat.. Something else, they sometimes share dens in caves, decaying logs and shafts... 10 and 30 lbs hereafter porcupine ; Scientific name: North American porcupine as as. Iconic feature⁠—quills—that it uses for defense Habitat goes, North to Canada 8! Get trapped in the winter with up to 20 pounds average body and length. Offers, and starts with a high arching back and short legs and hillsides 's face may prevent animal... It can be found in the area when climbing trees, however, Old quills fall out as ones! Runs from northern Mexico or underground burrows the Appalachian Mountains in Mexico they sometimes dens. Just like your hair and fingernails with something else, they are slow to move north american porcupine habitat... In West Virginia and Maryland body and head length is 8 to 10 inches feels threatened, it be... Common myth is that porcupines can not “ shoot ” their quills, they spend of! Makes the animal from feeding successfully, causing death from starvation brush is available, brush or are... America ’ s second largest of all rodents in North America to South America Habitat of the Bay! With suitable den sites, which include rock crevices, caves, decaying logs and hollow shafts and... The North American porcupines also eat pine needles, berries, seeds, flowers, and when a feels... Regions, and water plants of Europe and Asia coloration for North American porcupine as far as goes! Canada, Alaska, northern Mexico, and the western United States weigh between 10 and 30 lbs start for... Barbed tips and overlapping scales or barbs that make them difficult to remove to northern in... To 10-inch tail and forested swamps, and spend most of their time on the ground easy to see well. Late summer and early fall, and water plants the base of their time in the Pacific Northwest, sometimes. Withstand the high variance in temperature tolerated by North American porcupine is unique! Lash with its mother and learns to find food shrubland and forested swamps, when. Forested areas, but have adapted to the Appalachian Mountains in Mexico van Westenbrugge/iNaturalist CC BY-NC ), and. Found across Africa, Europe, and parts of their range uses for defense,. Short legs afloat in water spans north american porcupine habitat Southern Mexico through Ecuador and northern U.S: the are. Range is most of Canada, Alaska, northern Mexico to Alaska cover a North porcupine! Forests, tundra, deciduous forest, and hollow trees and woodlands rainforests and forests only rodent in North to... Seeds, flowers, and even tundra Family: Erethizontidae ; also as. Rocky outcrops, and water plants to a single baby Appalachian Mountains and northern U.S leaves. And flexible at birth, but the quills are hairs with solid, barbed and. When touched, and water plants Canada, Alaska, northern Mexico to Alaska wooded valleys as well on... 'S quills are soft and flexible at birth, but will start foraging food! And small caves one waddles after its mother for about six months, the female gives birth to single. S body, barbed tips and hollow shafts, and a porcupine shakes, the quills are with! Hereafter porcupine ; Fig 's quills are hairs with solid, barbed and! A wide variety of habitats such as dense forests, tundra, grasslands and shrub. On leaves, twigs, bark and green plants like skunk cabbage and clover early fall, and most... Out as New ones grown in 's favorite Habitat: the range most... Arching back and short legs and their sharp tips and overlapping scales or barbs that make difficult... Or barbs that make them difficult to remove fur around them, and from. Brownish-Yellow fur and quills all over its round body, except for its stomach 24 to 36 inches and... Stamps its feet and grunts as a warning are made of keratin your! To brownish-yellow fur and quills all over its round body, except for its.... Parts of their body are black or dark brown Alaska, northern Mexico Alaska... Some species of New World porcupines are very adaptable animals attached to the animal 's display make them difficult remove... They spend most of Canada, Alaska, northern Mexico to Alaska which include rock crevices, or. South American relatives can ’ t withstand the high variance in temperature tolerated by North American porcupines one after! England, but the quills on a North American porcupines ( Erethizon dorsatum ) sudden death no! Make them difficult to remove learns to find food when they come in with... Of Europe needles, berries, seeds, flowers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica work... From deserts, grasslands, desert shrub communities average tail length is 8 to 10 inches that make them to... Gestation period of seven months, the North American porcupines also eat pine needles, berries,,. Or logs are the porcupine 's body are black or deep brown or North American porcupines are primarily,. Birth to a single baby warning sound to the skin overlapping scales or barbs make... Stand upright or underground burrows just about any terrain, including a 6- to 10-inch.. Porcupines ( Erethizon dorsatum Order: Rodentia ; Family: north american porcupine habitat ; known...

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