My Temple of Nature: Prickly Porcupines

Friday, March 11, 2011

Prickly Porcupines

On another occasion when I was visiting my parents, there was a slightly stickier situation than the sighting of the bobcat (see previous post). When we were on a picnic in Rocky Mountain National Park, I happened to notice movement a few hundred yards away. Some sort of animal was ambling slowly away from the area where our picnic table was, so, of course, I went to investigate. It was a porcupine! That was the first and only time I have seen a porcupine in the wild. And I didn't have my camera with me! I would have loved to get some photos. The porcupine eyed me warily and stopped walking at one point, but didn't ever seem too concerned.

Source: African Safari Pictures

Porcupines are found in Africa, Asia, southern Europe and the Americas. There are 29 species and can vary in size from a little over 2 lbs to 22 lbs. It's diet consists mainly of leaves, plants, roots and berries, and it will eat twigs and bark, especially in the winter when greenery is not available.

Porcupines are covered in quills - modified hairs covered in keratin. Contrary to urban myth, they cannot throw their quills. If they feel threatened, they can roll up in a ball to protect their underside and may rattle their quills or swing their quilled tail at an attacker. Their quills occasionally fall out, but new quills will grow to replace them. Porcupine quills are used in jewelry, and as decorations and many together are actually quite striking. Quills come in several different colors and lengths depending on the species and age of the porcupine.

Source: Wikipedia

Porcupines spend a lot of time in the trees either sleeping or looking for tasty bits. Because they like the tender shoots at the end of the branches, they are also known to fall out of trees on occasion. The North American porcupine is the only native mammal with antibiotic in its skin in case it sticks itself with its own quills!