PORCUPINES

PORCUPINE INFO

• Rodents
• Sharp quills

More Info

They are indigenous to the Americas, Southern Asia, Europe, and Africa.

HABITAT

• Live in tropical and temperate places
• Forests, desserts, rocky outcrops, and hill sides.
• Old World: rocks
• New World: trees

OLD WORLD VS. NEW WORLD

• Old world have larger quills
• Old world live on ground
• Old world are social

FOOD

• Leaves, twigs, plants
• Some climb, some don't
• Delicacy

THE NAME PORCUPINE

• Quill pig (Latin)
• Spined pig (French)

QUILLS

• Hairs covered in keratin
• Realeased by contact ot fall out
• Africa's crested porcupine
• Normally lie flat

USES

• Eatin in western culture
• Decorate clothing
• Hyropodermic Needles

SPECIES

• Thirty different species
• 1 kg in South America
• 10 kg in Africa

LIFE SPAN

• 10-15 years
• 10 and up years

SIZE AND WEIGHT

• 25-36 in. body
• 8-10 in. tail
• 12- 35 lbs.

COLOR

• Grey, brown or white