He'll Poke Your Eye Out!Although porcupines aren't as common in
Arizona as they used to be, they're as prickly as ever. If you
see one, count yourself lucky and keep your distance. Those
30,000 quills could ruin your day. By Leah Duran Count yourself
lucky if you see an Arizona porcupine. "Because they're so
thinly distributed, you're not likely to see one anywhere except
the Grand Canyon," says Dave Brown, an adjunct professor of
biology at Arizona State University. A century ago, things were
different. According to Brown, the unusually high porcupine
populations of the early to middle 1900s were likely the result
of predator control — specifically, of mountain lions, the
porcupine's primary enemy. Today, those practices are no longer
in place. "Mountain lions are more common than they used to be,"
Brown says, adding that the increase has allowed porcupine
numbers to return to normal. Nevertheless, these solitary,
nocturnal critters are well equipped to defend themselves.
Porcupine translates as "spiny pig,"