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Porcupines are nocturnal vegetarians, but are sometimes active by day. They eat the inner bark of trees. They will also eat foliage, twigs, bark, leaves, buds, fruits, berries, nuts, flowers, and will sometimes feed in fields.

They move slowly and have poor vision. They climb trees to escape predators, but will use their quills to defend themselves if they have to. 

Porcupines do not shoot their quills (as is often shown) . The quills are loosely attached. If attacked, a porcupine slaps the attacker with its tail. The attacker gets a face paw or claw full of detached quills when they struck or if they get too close to a porcupine. A single porcupine may have 30,000 quills. Quills are actually modified hairs that have hollow shafts with solid tips and bases. The quills can reach a length to about five inches long

When on the ground their tracks show four toes on the front foot and five on the hind foot. Marks made by the long claws usually show. The heel pads have a pebbly texture. This acts as a non-slip surface and helps them climb trees. Sometimes, a tail drag mark is visible in the trail.

The  underside of   the porcupine is soft so if they are soft  and lacks quills.

Scientific Name - 

Common Name - Porcupine

Class: Mammalia 

Order: Rodentia

Genus: Coendou

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       Information on this page will be added as more research details are discovered