Porcupine

Porc-épic

Erethizon dorsatum

• Description

  One of Canada’s best known mammals because of its quills. When in a tree, a porcupine can resemble a squirrel’s nest or a cro. It has a short, blunt-nosed face with small eyes. The short legs are bowed. The claws are long and curved. The muscular tail is thick, short, and rounded at the tip.

• Habitat

  Deciduous or Hardwoods, Forest, Mixed Woods

• Interesting Fact

  Porcupines are believed to have over 30 000 quills. Each quill is hollow and embedded in the skin, where it is attached to a small muscle that pulls it upright in the fur when the animal bristles with alarm. The quills have black tips and yellow or white shafts. Although porcupines are very slow, their tail can move very quickly. Fisher are the porcupine’s chief predator.