The word porcupine comes from the Latin porcus 'pig' + spina 'spine, quill', from Old Italian porcospino, 'thorn-pig'. [1][2] A regional American name for the animal is quill-pig. [3] A baby porcupine is known …

Nov 19, 2025 · Porcupine, any of several species of large, herbivorous, quill-bearing rodents active from early evening to dawn. All have short stocky legs, but their tails range from short to long, some being …

The porcupine's most famous feature—the quill—is hollow, 2 to 3 inches (5 to 7 centimeters) in length, and lightly attached to the porcupine's skin. Porcupines are covered in about 30,000 quills.

There are, in total, 27 species of porcupine belonging to the families, Erethizontidae or Hystricidae. Porcupines (like monkeys) are divided into New World (Erethizontidae) and Old World (Hystricidae) …

Nov 5, 2024 · ∙ Basics: The American porcupine is a large rodent with sharp quills. Their fur is brownish-yellow to black. Their quills are usually white or yellow. ∙ Stats: The average weight of an adult …

Jan 6, 2021 · What Is A Porcupine? A porcupine is a large rodent with a distinctive coat of protective quills. There are 30 species of porcupine divided between two families: Hystricidae (Old World …

In this article, we analyze different types of porcupines, highlighting their varied habitats and distinct appearances. Stay tuned for a thorough understanding of the quill pig. Porcupines are rodents …

The North American porcupine is the only species that lives in the U.S. and Canada, and is the largest of all porcupines. A single animal may have 30,000 or more quills.

May 27, 2024 · Porcupines are large, terrestrial rodents that are known for their sharp quills. They belong to the rodent family Erethizontidae and are native to North America, South America, and parts …

Dec 18, 2025 · As porcupine numbers decrease across the West, wildlife managers are racing to understand the trend. The creatures faced widespread persecution in the 1900s from the timber …