Species Profile: The Porcupine

by Michael R. Olek

In this month’s feature, our animal has a point to make. Actually it has many points. It is the sharpest dresser in the wild. The North American Porcupine, (Erethizon dorsatum) is the second largest rodent in our area. The Beaver is the largest. The Porcupine has lived in North America for over 3 million years. This slow moving pin cushion is relatively abundant throughout Western New York, but seldom seen because it is nocturnal. Evidence of its night time forays are observed in the destruction of canoe paddles, wooden tool handles, and other wooden objects handled by man. This is due to the porcupine’s love for salt. Salt from perspiration on our hands is transferred to tools. When left outdoors at night, the keen-nosed thorn ball makes a feast of these tool handles. Plywood signs & siding contain a glue with a salt additive, which also attracts "old salt tooth"! In winter, the draw of road salt is one of the leading causes of Porcupine mortalities due to car/porcupine collisions.

Adult Porcupines average 10 - 28 lbs. and are about 18 to 28 inches long. They have a small head and small legs, a strong tail and very long, sharp, hooked claws ... as well as creased tough foot pads to aid them in climbing trees. The American Porcupine is the only tree climber in the Porcupine family. The single most obvious identifiable feature of the Porcupine is its sharply pointed quills. Porcupine quills are actually stiff hollow hair. They have 3 separate layers of hair. The first layer is insulation for warmth. The second layer is designed to keep off rain and snow, and the third layer is the creature’s highly effective defense mechanism ... the quills. Each animal has over 30,000 quills. These needle style stilettos are loosely attached to the Porcupine’s skin so that they are easily detached in a defensive confrontation. (Porcupine’s cannot shoot their quills!) When threatened, the Porcupine will raise and separate its’ quills and curl up in a ball. When attacked, it will swing its spikey tail at the aggressor. Any creature that gets hit with the tail or brushes against its’ body will be instantly impaled with a bunch of barbed spikes. Normal, healthy adult animals know enough to avoid dueling with a porcupine. This is why an adult raccoon with a snout full of quills is a pretty good indication that the raccoon is rabid.

Porcupines re-grow lost quills in about 2 to 8 months. It’s interesting to note that when a Porcupines Do Not Throw Their Quills! baby Porcupine, called a Porcupette is born, it takes about 30 minutes for its quills to harden. Good thing for mom! The quills are hollow, making Porcupines quite buoyant and able to swim. The tips are barbed, causing a continued inward path through flesh once secured. Without attention, the skewered victim can die from infection or a pierced vital organ. Removing quills is difficult and painful. Bobcats, Wolverines, Fisher and a few other predators know how to flip the porcupine onto its back, to get to the unprotected undersides. A female porcupine usually has one Porcupette per season. They remain with their mother until they are 2 months old.

In summer, Porcupines eat vegetation and fruit. They change their diet in winter to eat the cambium layer under tree bark, as well as the bark, branches and conifer needles. Porcupine do not only use their quills for self defense. In conjunction with their large strong claws, the stiff quills of the tail are used as a brace to help them stay attached to tree limbs. While resting on a limb, a porcupine will flatten itself and appear to be a tree nest. When handling these critters, wildlife rehabilitators must take special care using leather pads, thick handling gloves, minimal handling and plenty of caution.

This species profile is copyrighted and may only be reprinted with the express permission of Messinger Woods Wildlife Care & Education Center, Inc.

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