I hope you find an answer to your question, but if your don't then please send me your question via email, comment or via Google+ and I'll try and answer it. Where do porcupines live? Some new world porcupines live in trees, but old world porcupines stay on the ground. Description - The porcupine is a robust rodent that usually weighs around 22 pounds. Answer. most porcupines live in the woodlands in moist areas. Porcupines Erethizon dorsatum . The North American porcupine can be found in most of Canada and the western United States south to Mexico. If contact is made, the quills could be impaled into the predator causing injury or death.[14]. The Old World porcupines live in southern Europe, Asia, and most of Africa while the New World porcupines are indigenous to North America and northern South America. All you need to is to know where they’re active. long. Porcupines occupy a small range of habitats in tropical and temperate parts of Asia, Southern Europe, Africa, and North and South America. Answers to life's questions, Why are Whale Sharks an Endangered Species, How Many Countries Make up the Commonwealth. ^ Although porcupines are great tree climbers and can live on several species of trees, they seem to prefer, white, birch, ponderosa, pinion, hemlock, spruce, elm and poplar. — and they live in wooded valleys as well as on the mountaintops. Porcupines are usually dark brown or black in color, with white highlights. Porcupines (Erethizon dorsatum), sometimes called “porkies” or “quill pigs,” are heavy-bodied, short-legged, slow, and awkward rodents, with a waddling gait. They are generally restricted to temperate and tropical regions. There are four main displays seen in a porcupine which are quill erection, teeth clattering, emitting of odour, and attack. Porcupines can be found on rocky areas up to 3,700 m (12,100 ft) high. A porcupine's markings are black and white. They are approximately 25 to 36 inches long and have an 8- to 10-inch long tail. An invasive scent is produced from the skin above the tail in times of stress, and is often seen with quill erection. The word "porcupine" comes from Latin porcus pig + spina spine, quill, via Old Italian (Italian "porcospino", thorn-pig)—Middle French—Middle English. [12] The use of odor is when the sight and sound have failed. The Old World porcupines live in southern Europe, Asia (western[1] and southern), and most of Africa. They are generally nocturnal, but are occasionally active during daylight. This animal is mostly found in coniferous and mixed forested areas in Canada, Alaska and much of the northern and western USA.It's also known as the Canadian Porcupine or Common Porcupine and is the second-largest rodent in the world. The porcupine is considered to be a pest in Kenya. Some New World porcupines live in trees, but Old World porcupines stay on the rocks. Porcupines occur in various shades of brown, grey and white. This behaviour is often paired with body shivering which is used to further display the dangerous quills. If you have a question you can search for the answer below! When living in the woods and feeding on wild trees, porcupines go unnoticed. Porcupines can be found on rocky areas up to 3,700 m (12,100 ft) high. [15] The shape of the barbs makes the quills more effective, both for penetrating the skin and remaining in place. However, some species will also live in wetlands and rocky areas. Old World porcupines live in Europe, Africa, and Asia; some examples are the North African crested porcupine, African brush-tailed porcupine, and Indian crested porcupine. Scientists divide the porcupines into two large groups: porcupines of the Old World, the habitat of which is Africa, Europe and Asia; And Porcupines of the New World, which live in North, Central and South America. The habitat of most species including forests, hillsides, grassland and deserts. The New World porcupines evolved their spines independently (through convergent evolution) and are more closely related to several other families of rodents than they are to the Old World porcupines. Porcupines live in many parts of North America, Africa, and South America. The North American porcupine is one of the largest rodents in Alaska, second only to the beaver. They have even been found on Mt. They are generally restricted to temperate and tropical regions. Where do porcupines live? Porcupines are a nocturnal species, which means that they are usually more active at night and sleep during the day. Along with the raising of the quills, porcupines clatter their teeth causing warning noise to let predators know not to come closer. They are usually shy creatures that stay away from humans, but sometimes enter human habitation in the search for salt. They are generally nocturnal, but are occasionally active during daylight. Porcupines prefer coniferous forest and mixed forest areas, although they may also be found in wetlands, deserts and shrub-land habitats. Home; About Us; Practice Areas; Gallery; Blog; Cases; Contact; where do porcupines live Did you know? Some use is made of dens in winter. Often, these displays are shown when a porcupine becomes agitated or annoyed. Adults are typically 25 to 30 inches (64 to 76 cm) long and weigh 10 to 30 pounds (4.5 to 13.5 kg). The New World porcupines are indigenous to North America and northern South America. The 11 Old World porcupines tend to be fairly large, and have spikes grouped in clusters. And guess what? The two families of porcupines are quite different, and although both belong to the Hystricognathi branch of the vast order Rodentia, they are not closely related. They have even been found on Mt. The porcupine has an extremely muscular tail th… Old World porcupines have quills embedded in clusters, whereas in New World porcupines, single quills are interspersed with bristles, underfur, and hair. There are some possible antibiotic properties within the quills, specifically associated with the free fatty acids coating the quills. Porcupines are distributed into two evolutionarily independent groups within the suborder Hystricomorpha of the Rodentia. Porcupines are lumbering, rotund rodents with needle-like spikes, called quills, covering their back, sides, and tail. Porcupines are most common in hilly, rocky country, but they can adapt to most habitats. Hi, I'm Tim and I want to welcome you to wanttoknowit.com. Where do porcupines live? The porcupine is found in Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, New York, and New England. This is because most predators do not know how to climb. possibly near moss covered loggs. Weighing 5–16 kg (12–35 lb), they are rounded, large, and slow, and use aposematic strategy of defence. Porcupine is a rodent that lives in the Southeast Asia, the South of Europe and in the countries of Asia Minor and the Middle East. They are generally restricted to temperate and tropical regions. They can weigh from 4.5 to 13 kg (10 to 28 pounds). [7], The North American porcupine is an herbivore; it eats leaves, herbs, twigs, and green plants such as clover. When another animal attacks the porcupine, its quills detach, burrowing into [citation needed], Porcupines have a relatively high longevity and have held the record for being the longest-living rodent, with one individual living to 27 years,[6] until the record was broken in 2002 by a naked mole-rat living to 28 years. … Its blunt-nosed face has small eyes, and small, round ears. Among rodents, porcupines rank third in terms of size after capybara and beaver. They do well in mixed hardwood — conifer woodlands with suitable den sites — rock crevices, caves, hollow trees, etc. As one of the largest living rodents, the porcupine can be found in Africa, the Americas and Asia. They are less strictly nocturnal than their Old World relatives, and generally smaller. Lakota women would harvest the quills for quillwork by throwing a blanket over a porcupine and retrieving the quills it left stuck in the blanket. Porcupines are found on the continents of Asia, Europe, Africa, and North and South America. A porcupine's colouring aids in part of its defence as most of the predators are nocturnal and colour blind. [10], Defensive behaviour displays in a porcupine depend on sight, scent and sound. These rodents, which are noticeable from afar, inhabit mostly mountainous terrain, but they can also live in deserts, on plains. These large rodents are the perfect example of a diverse species. In what part of Idaho do Porcupines live? North American porcupines, as their names convey, live exclusively in North America -- in the United States, Canada and Mexico. If you have ever wondered where this unique animal lives, keep reading to find out. PORCUPINES CAUSE DAMAGE! Some quills can get up to a foot (30 centimeters) long, like those on the Africa's crested porcupine, according to National Geographic. Other porcupine species live in Africa, Europe, and Asia. In Washington State, porcupines occur mostly in forested areas, but also thrive along riparian zones, in brushy wetlands, and even in the shrub-steppe region of eastern Washington. The North American porcupine lives … [23] The quills have inspired research for such applications as the design of hypodermic needles and surgical staples. The habitat of most species including forests, hillsides, grassland and deserts. Porcupines have ro… In the winter, it may eat bark. Primary habitats include forests, deserts, and grasslands. The major difference between Old and New world species is that the Old World porcupines live on the ground and often in small groups, while the New World porcupine… “Porcupines can be live-trapped and translocated, or euthanized when they are involved in conflicts, although that should be considered the last option.” Watch more: Tagged: porcupines Porcupines are a type of rodent found in two main regions of the world, so scientists group them into either Old World or New World porcupines. Porcupines are most common in hilly, rocky country, but they can adapt to most habitats — excessively moist forests and the most barren of deserts seem to be the only exceptions. "Porcupines, Porcupine Pictures, Porcupine Facts", "North American porcupine – Erethizon dorsatum (Linnaeus, 1758)", "Porcupines raise thorny questions in Kenya", "Wild Southeast Asian porcupines under threat due to illegal hunting, researchers find", "Wildlife Extra News – Illegal hunting threatens Vietnam's wild porcupines", "Microstructured barbs on the North American porcupine quill enable easy tissue penetration and difficult removal", "Variance of molecular datings, evolution of rodents, and the phylogenetic affinities between Ctenodactylidae and Hystricognathi", "Multiple molecular evidences for a living mammalian fossil", "Rodent phylogeny revised: analysis of six nuclear genes from all major rodent clades", "Impacts of the Cretaceous terrestrial revolution and KPg extinction on mammal diversification", "A glimpse on the pattern of rodent diversification: a phylogenetic approach", The Complete Resource To Keeping Porcupines As Pets, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Porcupine&oldid=995549612, Wikipedia articles needing page number citations from September 2010, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with unsourced statements from October 2020, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 21 December 2020, at 17:31. [25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32], This article is about the mammal. Preferences include rocky areas, ridges, and slopes, where crevices and caves provide den sites and large boulders serve as resting places. Porcupines vary in size considerably: Rothschild's porcupine of South America weighs less than a kilogram (2.2 lb); the crested porcupine found in Italy, North Africa, and sub-Saharan Africa can grow to well over 27 kg (60 lb). However, some species will also live in wetlands and rocky areas. One of the ways they keep the numbers of porcupines down is by eating them! 4, McGraw-Hill, New York. They live in wooded areas and can climb trees, where some species spend their entire lives. Both families belong to the infraorder Hystricognathi within the profoundly diverse order Rodentia and display superficially similar coats of quills: despite this, the two groups are distinct from each other and are not closely related to each other within the Hystricognathi. Where do tree porcupines live? Porcupines are well adapted for tree-living as well. In eastern North America, porcupines range from Canada to the Appalachian Mountains in West Virginia and Maryland. When another animal attacks the porcupine, its quills detach, burrowing into Where do porcupines live? Some New World porcupines live in trees, but Old World porcupines stay on the rocks. Activity is mostly nocturnal or crepuscular, but those feeding in trees may be observed at any time as they usually do not retire to dens during the daylight hours. Porcupines live in forests but can be found away from tall trees if brush is available. [8] It is mostly nocturnal,[9] but will sometimes forage for food in the day, eating bark, roots, fruits and berries, as well as farm crops. From the stocky Cape porcupine in South Africa (and across central and southern Africa), to the North American porcupine known as the New World porcupine.. They rely on their sharp, barbed quills (up to 30,000 per individual) for defense. For example, their guardhairs are used in the creation of the Native American "porky roach" headdress. Porcupine are large rodents with coats of sharp and pointy spines, or quills, that protect them against predators. The term covers two families of animals: the Old World porcupines of family Hystricidae, and the New World porcupines of family Erethizontidae. In rocky areas, they can be found up to a height of 3,700 meters. Range. [15][16] Porcupines were long believed to have the ability to project their quills to a considerable distance at an enemy, but this has since been proven to be untrue.[17][18]. Porcupines feed on nearly all species of trees in their range. Required fields are marked *, You can use these HTML tags and attributes

. [12] The antibiotic properties are believed to aid a porcupine that has suffered from self-injury. However, some species will also live in wetlands and rocky areas. It often climbs trees to find food. Porcupines are seldom eaten in Western culture, but are very popular in Southeast Asia, particularly Vietnam, where the prominent use of them as a food source has contributed to significant declines in their populations. [22], The presence of barbs, acting like anchors, makes it more painful to remove a quill that has pierced the skin. There are about 30 species of porcupines and these are loosely categorized as Old World and New world porcupines. They are large, terrestrial, and strictly nocturnal. Porcupines live all over the world. The largest porcupine is the African Porcupine which can weigh over 20 kilograms (44 pounds). In taxonomic terms, they form the family Hystricidae. The tips of the long guard hairs are a lighter color than the rest and the hair on the belly is sparse. Porcupines have become a pest in Kenya and are eaten as a delicacy. New quills grow to replace lost ones. Kilimanjaro, as high up as 3,500 meters (11,480 feet). long and 5-16 kg (11-35lbs) in weight. Where do porcupines live? Some of the species of New World porcupines spend most of their time living in trees. What do they eat? But, they can occasionally be seen out during the day as well. [8], The African porcupine is not a climber and forages on the ground. In taxonomic terms, they form the family Erethizontidae. [23][24] As opposed to the current design for surgical staples, the porcupine quill and barb design would allow for easy and painless insertion as the staple would stay in the skin using the anchored barb design rather than being bent under the skin like traditional staples.[24]. Old World porcupines live in Europe, Africa, and Asia; some examples are the North African crested porcupine, African … The hair and a thick layer of body fat help keep the porcupine warm during winter. Here are some fun facts about the fascinating creatures, and a few answers to some earnest questions. Most porcupines are about 60–90 cm (25–36 in) long, with a 20–25 cm (8–10 in) long tail. Kilimanjaro, as high up as 3,500 meters (11,480 feet). Porcupine habitats range from deserts, forests and grasslands. The smallest porcupine is the Rothschilds Porcupine from South America which weighs only 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds). All porcupines have a few traits in common. Where do porcupines live? Porcupines are most common in hilly, rocky country, but they can adapt to most habitats — excessively moist forests and the most barren of deserts seem to be the only exceptions. Also this animal can be found in Sri Lanka and in Indochina. The porcupines stomach is the only area not protected by quills. They live in forests and deserts, rocky outcrops, and hillsides. In Washington State, porcupines occur mostly in forested areas, but also thrive along riparian zones, in brushy wetlands, and even in the shrub-steppe region of eastern Washington. Rodents make up about 40% of all the mammal species on Earth. The coat tends to be dark colored, although chestnut, cream, brown, gray, and albino porcupines have been seen. Copyright © 2017. In the west they range from Alaska to northern mountains in Mexico. The different species vary in size quite considerably. Porcupines can be found on rocky areas up to 3,500 m (11,000 ft) high.all porcupines are also nocturnal. The most obvious trait is the long, sharp quills that cover their bodies. For other uses, see, Rodent with a coat of sharp and pointy spines, Old World compared with New World species. 1 2 3. Porcupines are known to climb tress at the first sign of danger. Porcupines are large, slow rodents with sharp needles on their backs. [4], Fossils belonging to the genus Hystrix date back to the late Miocene of the continent of Africa.[5]. They can weigh from 4.5 to 13 kg (10 to 28 pounds). Although the species of porcupine found in North America always lives among trees, it does not always live in mature forests and may be found in alder thickets along rivers and in dwarfed pine scrub along ridge crests. Their quills are the primary mean of self-defense: when the animal is disturbed or threatened, the quills raise and vibrate, making the porcupine look larger than it is. All Rights Reserved by wanttoknowit.com. Top Answer. [2][3] A regional American name for the animal is "quill-pig". It is the third largest living rodent in the world after the capybara and beaver. There are about 2 dozen species of porcupines, and these are broken into the Old World porcupines and the New World porcupines. 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