Image of the Month
Porcupine
This slow-moving creature is Canada’s largest rodent next to the
beaver. It is distributed throughout most of the timbered areas of North America. Large
males may reach 90 cm total length and weigh up to 12 kg. The head,neck, and rump are
protected by quills, the tips of which are covered with backwards projecting barbs which
maketheir removal painful and difficult. When under attack, the porcupine presents his
posterior to his adversary and lashes at him with his spiny tail. The quills are so
lightly fixed to the porcupine’s body that they are easily detached and left imbedded
in the attacker. Bobcats, wolverines, and fishers, that know how to flip the animal on its
back and expose its unprotected underside, are the most adept at killing porcupines.
Primarily nocturnal, porcupines are active year round. Their summer diet consists of a
variety of shrub and tree leaves. In winter, they feed on the cambium layer and inner bark
of trees. Their fondness for salt often leads them to roadways where salt has been
sprinkled to melt the ice. Around campsites, they will gnaw on anything
containing salt, such as canoe paddles, axe handles, saddles, etc. The young are able to
move about quite briskly shortly after birth and, unlike their stolid parents, are quite
playful. Porcupines are also excellent swimmers.
What is the scientific name?
Erethizon dorsatum
Pronounced er-a-THIGH-zon door-SAY-tum
What does it mean? "Irritate with back" This is referring to the porcupine's
inclination to "irritate" its victims with the quills on its back and tail.
Erethizon is Greek for "anger, irritate, or provoke." Dorsatum comes from the
Latin words, dorsum, meaning "back" and atus, a Latin suffix meaning
"with." nteresting notes: Porcupines do not "throw" their quills as
many people believe. They are unaggressive and reportedly never attack other animals.
Their quills are
used only for defense (Nowak 1991). The hollow quills are loosely attached to the
porcupine's body and a predator must come into physical contact with it to sustain injury.
When threatened the porcupine erects its quills, taking on the look of a massive
pincushion. If a predator attacks, the porcupine flicks its tail back and forth hammering
its quills into its enemy. The heavily muscled tail can drive the quills over one-half
inch into a predator's flesh. The quills have tiny backward-facing barbs that, once
embedded, cause the quills to work their way deeper into the skin at the rate of up to
one-third of an inch per hour. These barbs also expand when imbedded in tissue making
their removal extremely difficult and painful (Nowak 1991; Maser 1981; Dodge 1981).
Porcupines have caused the death of many unwary animals such as owls, eagles, dogs,
cattle, horses, and even people (Lano 1922; Dodge 1981). Regardless of their pointed
defense, porcupines find themselves victims of predators that have learned to roll them on
their back and expose their unquilled soft belly. Cougars, bobcats, coyotes and especially
fishers have all been competent at attacking and killing porcupines without receiving
injury (Maser 1981). Because the porcupine's habit of eating trees has the unfortunate
effect of damaging the tree, fishers have actually been introduced to certain areas in an
attempt to control the porcupine populations (Nowak 1991). Porcupines were once so highly
disregarded for their tree damaging behavior that Central Oregon exhibited highway signs
that said
"Please kill all porcupines" (Maser 1981).
Salt is often sought after by porcupines and they will gnaw on antlers and bones when
found (Nowak 1991). They have also been known, for reasons not completely understood, to
gnaw on vehicular hydraulic lines, tires, steering wheels, seat coverings, shift knobs,
electrical wiring, aluminum canoe seats, canoe paddles, and axe
handles (Dodge 1981).
Travel safe and Good Shooting!
Nikon F5, Tokina 20-35f2.8, Gitzo G1548 tripod w/
Arca Swiss B-2, Agfa RSX100 film.
