It appears that female fishers usually favor prey such as snowshoe hares. [14][15], The porcupine is the only native North American mammal with antibiotics in its skin. A porcupine hangs out on the side of a dirt road in Otis on July 9. Credit: Natalie Williams / BDN Porcupines are fun, unique critters to observe if they find their way to your property. But for the fisher, quills do not seem to be such an obstacle. It can climb trees, so its favorite method is to position itself below the porcupine and knock it to the ground, where it is quickly dispatched. Migratory caribou herds are named after their calving grounds, in this case the Porcupine River, which runs through a large part of the range of the … Erethizon appeared in North America shortly after the two continents joined together in the later Tertiary period. Males that approach a female do not automatically begin mating. Porcupines will travel several miles for a meal, but once they find a good place to feed, they will eat everything available before they move on. Mating may occur repeatedly until the female loses interest and climbs back into the tree. By Joseph Castro 02 August 2014. It is the second largest rodent in North America, behind the North American beaver (Castor canadensis). [6] Other colloquial names for the animal include quill pig. After this, they learn to climb trees and start to forage. They are mainly active at night (nocturnal); on summer days, they often rest in trees. If the olfactory, visual, and auditory warnings fail, then it can rely on its quills. The quills are used by Native Americans to decorate articles such as baskets and clothing. They are also killed by motor vehicles.[41]. First, they are agile tree climbers. 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. They have even been found on Mt. [7] The porcupine's scientific name, Erethizon dorsatum, can be loosely translated as "the animal with the irritating back". Information about how to catch a porcupine - remove one stuck in the house. The porcupine's last line of defense is to climb a tree. Between 99 and 2004 I was head of the non-game program for Tx parks and wildlife and we had lots of reports of porcupines as far east as Bastrop and I had a skull from a roadkill south of Dallas. [25][27] In some parts of the Great Basin, cougars have greatly decreased numbers of porcupines in mountainous forests through predation. Others, including porcupines, white-tailed deer and snowshoe hares, adapt to available winter vegetation by changing their diets. E. d. bruneri can be found in the midwest from Arkansas to Montana. [30][31] One study suggested that since male fishers are considerably larger than females (often weighing on average twice as much), only males are likely to hunt porcupines. [46][47] As of 1999, 15 remnant populations remain scattered throughout north-central Mexico. It has a strong warning odor which it can increase when agitated. Between 99 and 2004 I was head of the non-game program for Tx parks and wildlife and we had lots of reports of porcupines as far east as Bastrop and I had a skull from a roadkill south of Dallas. "A newly recognized family from the Horn of Africa, the Heterocephalidae (Rodentia: Ctenohystrica)", "African origin of caviomorph rodents is indicated by incisor enamel microstructure", "Porcupine: Alaska Wildlife Notebook Series", "A facilitated release mechanism for quills of the North American porcupine (, 10.1644/1545-1542(2002)083<0381:afrmfq>2.0.co;2, "Smart Weapons — With an arsenal of quills and chemicals, the porcupine mounts one of nature's most robust defenses against predators", "Porcupine: Erethizon dorsatum bruneri Swenk", "Ecological Characteristics of Fishers in the Southern Oregon Cascade Range", "Endangered Animal Fact Sheet — North American Porcupine", "Rare, Threatened, and Endangered Animals of Maryland", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=North_American_porcupine&oldid=1003684648, Fauna of the Great Lakes region (North America), Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with unsourced statements from July 2017, Articles with unsourced statements from June 2015, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 30 January 2021, at 05:02. Porcupine quills can be very dangerous. In one case, when a baby had fallen to its death from a tree, the mother came down and stayed by her baby's side for hours waiting vainly for the baby to revive. If a fisher locates a porcupine, it cannot hide by fleeing into a tree because the fisher can pursue it and force it down to the ground. Large herds are more apt to migrate long distances, while smaller herds often migrate shorter distances. When sitting hunched high up in a tree, a porcupine could be mistaken for the nest of a squirrel or a crow, but close to the ground it is easily recognized. [24][34] However, in some cases porcupine quills have indeed killed cougars, although usually this is after the cougar has already consumed the porcupine.[35][36]. Even though porcupines are not venomous and their quills are not poisonous, concerned homeowners should contact the wildlife experts at Critter Control for … Sometimes porcupines are solitary, but they are also known to share their den with as many as seven other porcupines. (A porcupine has approximately 30,000 quills on his body, and, no, he can’t launch the spines through the air.) Porcupines are selective in their eating; for example out of every 1,000 trees in the Catskill Mountains, porcupines will only eat from 1-2 linden trees and one big toothed aspen. This strategy is successful against most attacks. At this time, they secrete a thick mucus which mixes with their urine. [11], Porcupines are usually dark brown or black in color, with white highlights. The barbs at the tail tip become lodged in the flesh of an attacker and are difficult and painful to remove. Porcupine Quills are dangerous to dogs because once they make contact with the skin, the quills can migrate further in and cause internal damage. Mabille, G., Descamps, S., & Berteaux, D. (2010). As of 1994, it was listed as an endangered species in Mexico. They do not gain full adult weight until the end of the second summer about 4.5 kg. Both are covered with a total of 30,000 or more hollow quills. Mother porcupines do not defend their young, but have been known to care for them even after death. The porcupine Erethizon dorsatum is one of Canada’s best-known mammals, both in life and in legend. They are threatened by hunting and habitat loss. When porcupines are mating, they tighten their skin and hold their quills flat, so as not to injure each other. Vaginal secretions, urine marking and high-pitched vocalizations announce her availability to males in the vicinity. The North American porcupine has a long gestation period relative to other rodents. An adult porcupine when attacked turns its rear to the predator. The best way to find out if porcupines are in an area is to contact local vets because dogs are always the first to find them. Only the most severe weather causes these solitary animals to den together. (2017). Porcupines are infamous among backpackers and backpacking publications[42][43] for their love of salt. (1997). [11], Seven subspecies of E. dorsatum are recognized. [40] Common causes of mortality include predation and starvation. 1. North American porcupines have a relatively long life expectancy. Activity: Making the Cookie Map Caribou range cookie map [28][29], The North American porcupine is most at risk from the fisher (Pekania pennanti). They do not hibernate, but sleep in and stay close to their dens in winter. The Word Porcupine Means 'Thorn Pig' The English word for porcupines can be traced back about 600 years, when the animal was known as "porke despyne. By far the most common is E. d. dorsatum, which ranges from Nova Scotia to Alberta and from Virginia to the Yukon. Each quill contains microscopic barbs which allow it to stick into the flesh of an attacker. Female porcupines are solitary for most of the year except during the fall when breeding season begins. The fisher will then consume the porcupine through the chest and abdomen, avoiding the quills. It does not bother with quill avoidance, but tolerates them. The strength of the porcupine's defense has given it the ability to live a solitary life, unlike many herbivores, which must move in flocks or herds. Depending on what specific area of North America a porcupine lives in, he may spend most of his time up in trees or on the ground. Broken quills can become embedded and migrate within the skin, causing infection and scarring if not properly treated. [1], During the summer, they eat twigs, roots, stems, berries, and other vegetation. Yes, porcupines are sometimes found in the deserts of North America. They are commonly found in coniferous and mixed forested areas, but have adapted to harsh environments such as shrublands and tundra. [32][33], Another effective predator is the cougar. All have short, stocky legs, but their tails range from short to long, with some being prehensile. Others seek shelter down below the frost line, where they lower their metabolism, and either hibernate or go into a deep sleep, some waking periodically to feed on food they stored in the fall. E. d. picinum occupies a small range in northeastern Quebec and Labrador. Kilimanjaro, as high up as 3,500 meters (11,480 feet). Weight can range from 3.5 to 18 kg (7.7 to 39.7 lb). Their Quills Have Antibiotic Properties. Fishers are related to weasels, with males sometimes exceeding a mass of 5.5 kg (12 lb). Not so. [44], Globally, the North American porcupine is listed as a species of least concern. They are able to eat these low nitrogen, high fiber foods because of their unique ability to retain what little nitrogen there is in their food. They first begin their ludicrous lovemaking with some nose rubbing. Zielinski, W. J., Duncan, N. P., Farmer, E. C., Truex, R. L., Clevenger, A. P., & Barrett, R. H. (1999). This is for reasons of fundamental physics: the energy residing in a moving body is given by its momentum, the product of its mass times velocity. The defense strategy is based on aposematism in several modalities. From south to north they are E.d. When an area gets to cold they migrate elsewhere. 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. This incredible journey takes them through what is still a significantly intact landscape of the Arctic. Advertisement. The porcupine caribou migrate each year passing from Canada into the United States and back without ever knowing it! It resembles the subspecies known as the barren-ground caribou and is sometimes included in it. Porcupine Quills are extremely painful, and can be life-threatening. Animal Sex: How Porcupines Do It. They migrate yearly. Porcupines are edible and were an important source of food, especially in winter, to the native peoples of Canada's boreal forests. In New England during the spring and summer months, porcupines consume high protein foods such as the buds and young leaves of trees such as sugar maple, birch, aspen and willow, and their feeding rates are somewhat reduced. The last three are found in the west. Some individuals have been found with dozens of quills embedded in their gums to no ill effect. WHAT DO PORCUPINES EAT? In eastern North America, porcupines range from Canada to the Appalachian Mountains in West Virginia and Maryland. Zooniversity's North American porcupine, "Teddy Bear," gets a cob of corn for a treat -- but, he doesn't like to share. These animals must find food in order to survive, and do so in a number of ways. Their quills harden soon after birth. They have a stocky body, a small face, short legs, and a short, thick tail. When approached, the porcupine can swing its tail at an attacker's face. [citation needed], Porcupines are nearsighted and slow-moving. Porcupines cannot shoot them at predators as once thought, but the quills do detach easily when touched. Elbroch, L. M., Feltner, J., & Quigley, H. B. (Porcupines can live 20 to 30 years, though the females do eventually experience menopause and bow out of the reproduction role.) Quills are modified hairs formed into sharp, barbed, hollow spines. Most of the porcupine’s potential predators probably leave it till last on their list of potential meals. [11][13] Weight in adult females can average some 7 kg (15 lb) while 5 wild-caught males averaged 10.67 kg (23.5 lb). The hind foot length is 7.5 to 9.1 cm (3.0 to 3.6 in). Porcupine quills are coated with potent natural antibiotics, … Every year, the Porcupine caribou herd embarks on the longest land mammal migration in the world, covering over 2400 kilometers from the Northwest Territories, Yukon and into Alaska. They are not aggressive, but they happily defend themselves, their offspring, and their dens if needed. Porcupines leave their dens to feed during the night and during warmer weather. These modified hairs have tiny barbs on the outermost end, which not only grab into a predator’s skin when the porcupine comes in contact with the predator, but help work the quill into the predator’s body, occasionally ending up in a vital organ. For the first two weeks, the young rely on their mother for sustenance. The first male that comes along typically sits in the same tree below a female. More specifically, for eating road salt-covered boots left outside of tents overnight. Only a few drops touch the female, but the chemical reaction allows the female to fully enter estrus. [16], The North American porcupine has specific behaviors to warn or defend against predators. Sometime in October or November, porcupines mate. Consequently, the porcupine has "an extraordinary ability to learn complex mazes and to remember them as much as a hundred days afterward". The North American porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum), also known as the Canadian porcupine, is a large rodent in the New World porcupine family. One may also ask, what month do porcupines have babies? The porcupine is a caviomorph rodent whose ancestors crossed the Atlantic from Africa to Brazil 30 million years ago,[3][4] and then migrated to North America during the Great American Interchange after the Isthmus of Panama rose 3 million years ago. For example, porcupines that reside in the northeast usually spend most of their time in trees. Porcupines love rose bushes, pansies, lily pads, all types of berries, corn, and several other garden favorites. [45] It is common throughout its range except in some U.S. states in the southeast part of its range. 4. The smell has been described as similar to strong human body odor, goats, or some cheeses. (Porcupines can live 20 to 30 years, though the females do eventually experience menopause and bow out of the reproduction role.) New World porcupines spend most of their time alone or in pairs moving through the trees. No known fossils are attributed to hystricomorphs prior to the late Tertiary period. Elbroch, L. M., Hoogesteijn, R., & Quigley, H. (2016). They migrate over 1,500 mi (2,400 km) a year between their winter range and calving grounds at the Beaufort Sea, the longest land migration route of any land mammal on Earth. Humans who have embedded quills should consult a physician immediately. Plywood is especially vulnerable because of the salts added during manufacture. [12] They are subdivided by different ranges across North America. – Source. 2. Every year, the Porcupine caribou herd embarks on the longest land mammal migration in the world, covering over 2400 kilometers from the Northwest Territories, Yukon and into Alaska. Description. They have even been found on Mt. The quills, or spines, take various forms depending on the species, but all are modified Porcupine, any of 25 species of large, herbivorous, quill-bearing rodents active from early evening to dawn. They make their dens in hollow trees or in rocky areas. [38] The eastern grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) has a gestation period of just 44 days. ^ Because porcupines primarily target wood, most people are unaware how much they like succulent plants. The quills are normally flattened against the body and in this position are less easily dislodged.[17]. If they break off, are missed, or are left in the pet, the quills can migrate through the body. To the right is a porcupine sleeping in a tree, photo by D. Gordon E. Robertson. For example, the Porcupine caribou herd, which contains about 169,000 animals, migrates between summer and winter ranges that are about 400 miles apart. They live in riparian forests, mesquite scrubland, grasslands, and thorn forests. Other predators, such as canids, may attack but do not pose much of a threat. In the winter, they mainly eat conifer needles and tree bark. A baby porcupine is called a porcupette. They are used primarily for defense, but also serve to insulate their bodies during winter. Porcupines do not carry any communicable diseases that are of concern to humans, except, as with any mammal, they can contract rabies. The only known avian predators of this species are golden eagles and great horned owls. Though numbers fluctuate, the herd comprises about 218,000 animals (based on a July 2017 photocensus). Offspring. They are mainly active at night (nocturnal); on summer days, they often rest in trees. Porcupines also crave salt, such as that deposited in human sweat on surfaces like cabin doors, axe handles, ropes, work gloves, boots, outhouse … They may den in tree nests, rock crevices, brush, logs, or in tangled tree roots. If the fisher manages to force a porcupine down to the ground, the porcupine will try to present its hindquarters and tail to the attacker, but the fisher is quick and agile. – Source. Unlike some mammals, porcupines in the winter do not hibernate to escape the cold. The odor is generated by a patch of skin called the rosette, on the lower back where modified quills serve as osmetrichia to broadcast the smell. Porcupines mate in a very bizarre way. They stay close to their mothers. Myth #1: A porcupine can throw or shoot his quills from a distance. [37] By contrast, the North American beaver, which is comparable in size, has a gestation period of 128 days. The head-and-body length is 60 to 90 cm (2.0 to 3.0 ft), not counting a tail of 14.5 to 30 cm (5.7 to 11.8 in). Trees or the Ground. Once a dominant male is successful, he approaches the female and uses a spray of his urine on the female. An adult porcupine has about 30,000 quills that cover all of its body except its underbelly, face, and feet. Where do porcupines live? [10], The earliest appearance of E. dorsatum is from the Pleistocene era found along the Arroyo del Cedazo near Aguascalientes, Mexico. Its fame stems from its coat of quills, which keeps most enemies at a respectful distance. Some fossils, such as species from the family Paramyidae, show resemblance to the porcupine, but they are so primitive and generalized that they could be ancestors to all later rodents. The female's pregnancy lasts for 202 days. Among North American rodents, the porcupine, Erethizon dorsatum, is second only to the beaver in size. We have seen a dog die six weeks after encountering a porcupine as a result of quill migration. E. d. couesi is the most southern ranging from northern Mexico to Colorado. They continue to nurse for up to four months, which coincides with the fall mating season. This incredible journey takes them through what is still a significantly intact landscape of the Arctic. There is an antibiotic on a porcupine’s quills, which prevents the porcupine from getting infections when it falls from a tree, as they often do, and impales itself with its own quills. Those antibiotics prevent infection when a porcupine falls out of a tree and is stuck with its own quills upon hitting the ground. myops. In the autumn, feeding rates increase, as high quality food is increasingly hard to come by. Sweitzer, R. A., Jenkins, S. H., & Berger, J. North American porcupines are herbivores that feed a lot on herbs, grasses, wood, tree bark, foliage, buds and apples. Porcupines can also die from falling out of a tree. They are considered by some to be a pest because of the damage that they often inflict on trees and wooden and leather objects. Porcupines are the third largest rodent and live in many rural areas in North America. Females usually weigh a little less than the males. Dr. Lang notwithstanding, porcupines can no more throw their quills than dogs can throw their hair, and if they somehow evolved the capacity to do so, it would do the throwers no good. It is initiated by the female, who only has an eight to twelve hour estrous period. During colder conditions, a porcupine seldom moves from its forested den, however, in warmer weather they will migrate and travel great distances. The porcupine is a caviomorph rodent whose ancestors crossed the Atlantic from Africa to Brazil 30 million years ago, and then migrated to North America during the Great American Interchange after the Isthmus of Panama rose 3 million years ago. South American hystricomorphs first appeared in the Lower Oligocene period. Native American terms for it include the Lakota name pahin meaning quill,[8] the Ho-Chunk name waxąhį, and the Chipewyan name ts'l.[9]. A porcupine can sometimes defend itself by facing the trunk on a branch and presenting its tail to the fisher. To minimize the chances of a dog getting stuck by porcupine quills, you should know the habits of porcupines. Insulated by their coarse guard hairs and network of quills, the pests are often found resting on tree branches during the winter. Groups of as many as twenty porcupines have been seen foraging together in winter. Porcupines are nearsighted and slow-moving. The males vie for the female, and the dominant male proceeds to shower the female with urine until she is receptive and they mate. A veterinarian should treat pets that have had a run-in with a porcupine. Some, such as red and gray squirrels, store food in the fall, which they rely on during the winter months. Despite popular myth, the porcupine does not throw its quills. After repeated attacks, the porcupine eventually weakens, allowing the fisher to flip the porcupine over and rip open the porcupine's underbelly, thus killing it.
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