Poor Old Porcupine 30,000 quills – AND he falls out of trees.
Ouch! Published: October 1, 2004 You’re walking along in the
woods, all is quiet, and you come upon a clicking critter
resembling a waddling pincushion. You’ve stumbled into a rare
encounter with one of the most misunderstood of North American
mammals – the porcupine. Photo by Hawk Creek Wildlife Center
Stop and watch it for a while – it is not shy or dangerous
unless threatened. You probably wouldn’t be shy either if you
were covered with 30,000 potentially lethal weapons. The name
“porcupine” is derived from Latin for “pig” and “spine,” but
it’s not even related to pigs. Porcupines are rodents – big
ones. In North America, they are typically 15-20 pounds and
second in size among rodents, with the beaver claiming top
honors. Porcupines are active year-round and typically live in
earth dens, rock caves and hollow logs. They are vegetarians who
forage on all types of vegetation in the spring and summer. And
porcupines are messy eaters. In fact, if y