Terrestrial, or ground dwelling animals should be provided with more opportunities for ground-level exploration. Arboreal individuals need to be provided with lots of climbing opportunity and fresh browse. In zoos, porcupine care depends heavily on the species. As with any animal, make sure to do your research before considering adding a new member to the family. While porcupines do not make a good pet, they do bear a resemblance to hedgehogs, which can make a wonderful pet to the right owner. No porcupine species have been domesticated in any way. Hunting in this area has caused significant population decline. ![]() Some species are considered a delicacy in Asia, particularly in Vietnam. They are sometimes hunted and eaten in Kenya for this reason. Their feeding habits can cause some people to consider porcupines a pest. Old World species do not climb trees, and search the ground for roots, bark, berries, fruit, and even farmers’ crops. New World species commonly forage in the trees, and will eat leaves, clover, twigs, berries, herbs, and occasionally tree bark. The New World and Old World types have different feeding strategies. Different species can be found in southern Europe, across most of Africa, India, and Southeast Asia. Old World Porcupines – The eleven different Old World species can be found across Africa, Asia, and parts of Europe. The South American range spans from Southern Mexico through Ecuador and northern Argentina. The North American range runs from northern Canada and Alaska to the Appalachian Mountains and Northern Mexico. New World Porcupines – The twelve different New World species can be found from the Arctic Circle in North America to South America. They can be found in altitudes up to 12,100 ft. Some New World species are arboreal, which means that they live in the trees. Different species can found in desert habitats, various forests, hillsides, mountains, and rocky cliffs. New World and Old World porcupines occupy a wide range of habitats. The word “porcupine” comes from the French porc d’espine, which means thorny pig. A Thorny Name – Though this should be unsurprising, their characteristic quills are also the base of their name. ![]() That’s a Lot of Quills! – In some species, a single porcupine can have up to 30,000 quills on its body! North American porcupines are known for having numerous, thin quills.some species have barbs in their quills to embed them in the enemy’s skin. Instead, these spines fall out when they come in contact with something, or if they are shaken loose. ![]()
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