# Coendou

Coendous, also known as porcupine, are cute, spiky animals that love to climb trees. They have long quills that help protect them from predators and are mostly nocturnal, which means they are active at night.

- **Category:** [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/mammal)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 3/5 · Moderate
- **Habitat:** Forests

![Coendou](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Prehensile_Tail_Porcupine_Curled_and_Relaxed_%2818144690005%29.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Eric Kilby from Somerville, MA, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Prehensile_Tail_Porcupine_Curled_and_Relaxed_%2818144690005%29.jpg)

## Appearance

The Coendou is covered in dense, short, yellowish-brown quills that stand upright when threatened. It has a rounded head, small eyes, and a distinctive bare, muscular prehensile tail that is used for grasping branches. This tail sets it apart from many other porcupines.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Chordata
- **Class:** Mammalia
- **Order:** Rodentia
- **Family:** Erethizontidae
- **Genus:** Coendou

## Interesting facts

- Baby coendous are born with soft, bendy quills that harden within hours!
- New World Coendou aren't close relatives of Old World porcupines!
- Their sharp quills are barbed, making them extra tricky to remove!
- They use their incredible bare tail like a fifth limb to grab branches!

## Special abilities

- **Quill Defense:** Coendou can defend itself with thousands of sharp quills that detach easily to deter predators.
- **Prehensile Tail Power:** Coendou has a strong, bare prehensile tail that helps them grip branches and climb securely through the trees.
- **Night Vision:** Coendou has excellent night vision because of large eyes that help them forage for leaves and fruits in the dark.

## Measurements & details

- **Length:** 30-60 cm
- **Weight:** 1.5-5 kg
- **Lifespan:** 10-15 years
- **Speed:** 5 km/h
- **Litter Size:** 1
- **Gestation:** 200-210 days

## Diet & Feeding

These spiky herbivores munch on leaves, fruit, and buds high up in the tropical rainforest canopy!

- **Primary Foods:** Leaves, Fruits, Flower buds, Young shoots, Bark
- **Foraging Method:** Foraging

## Ecological connections

- **Eaten by:** [Jaguar](https://www.snappit.app/explore/jaguar) (*Panthera onca*) — A powerful jungle cat that often preys on Coendou.
- **Eaten by:** Puma (*Puma concolor*) — Another large feline predator found in Coendou's habitat.
- **Eaten by:** [Harpy Eagle](https://www.snappit.app/explore/harpy-eagle) (*Harpia harpyja*) — Giant raptor that can snatch arboreal mammals like Coendou.
- **Eats:** White Fig (*Ficus insipida*) — They eat the juicy fruits of this tropical fig tree.

## Traits

- [Furry](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/furry): Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur.
- [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care.
- [Arboreal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/arboreal): Arboreal animals live primarily in trees, utilizing them for shelter, food, and protection from predators.
- [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material.
- [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life.
- [Spiky/Thorny](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spiky-thorny): Possessing sharp, pointed projections or spines on the body or surface.
- [Nocturnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nocturnal): Nocturnal animals are primarily active during the nighttime hours, typically resting or sleeping during the day.

## Collections

- [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/mammals)

## Safety

**Danger:** 3/5 · Moderate

If you see a porcupine, admire it from a distance. Their quills can hurt if touched!

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Coendou?

Compare ears, muzzle, tail, feet and coat markings. Size is hard to judge without something nearby for scale, and young mammals may not have adult coloring yet. Mammal Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How long is Coendou?

30-60 cm

### How much does Coendou weigh?

1.5-5 kg

### How long does Coendou live?

10-15 years

### How fast can Coendou move?

5 km/h

### What does Coendou eat?

These spiky herbivores munch on leaves, fruit, and buds high up in the tropical rainforest canopy!

### Where is Coendou usually found?

Forests

### How does Coendou hunt?

Foraging

## More Mammals

- [Eastern Fox Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-fox-squirrel) (*Sciurus niger*)
- [Eastern Cottontail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-cottontail) (*Sylvilagus floridanus*)
- [Eastern Chipmunk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-chipmunk) (*Tamias striatus*)
- [California Ground Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/california-ground-squirrel) (*Otospermophilus beecheyi*)

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Source: [Coendou: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/coendou)