# Erethizon The Erethizon, also known as the North American porcupine, is a spiky animal that loves to climb trees. They are mostly nocturnal and enjoy munching on leaves and bark. - **Category:** [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/mammal) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Habitat:** Forests ![Erethizon](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Downtown_Porcupown_2.jpg&width=800) Photo: Andrei Taranchenko from New York City, U.S.A., CC BY 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Downtown_Porcupown_2.jpg) ## Appearance The Erethizon is a large, robust rodent covered in thousands of sharp, barbed quills. Its body is typically brownish-black with a dense layer of yellowish-white quills tipped with black, making it visually distinct from any other North American mammal. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Mammalia - **Order:** Rodentia - **Family:** Erethizontidae - **Genus:** Erethizon ## Interesting facts - A baby porcupine is called a 'porcupette' and is born with soft, bendable quills! - Porcupines are the only mammal in North America covered in quills! - Their quills have tiny, overlapping barbs that make them very hard to remove! - They cannot 'shoot' their quills, but they detach super easily if brushed against. ## Special abilities - **Quill Armor:** Erethizon can defend itself from predators because of its thousands of sharp, barbed quills that detach easily upon contact. - **Arboreal Acrobat:** Erethizon can climb trees efficiently because of strong claws and grippy footpads that help them reach food and safety. - **Regenerating Spines:** Erethizon has quills that regrow quickly because it helps them maintain their full protective armor after encounters. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 75-120 cm - **Weight:** 4.5-13 kg - **Lifespan:** 5-10 years - **Speed:** 4 km/h - **Litter Size:** 1 - **Gestation:** 200-210 days ## Diet & Feeding This herbivore munches on leaves, twigs, and bark, especially in winter when other foods are scarce. - **Primary Foods:** Bark, Leaves, Twigs, Buds, Fruits - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Coyote](https://www.snappit.app/explore/coyote) (*Canis latrans*) — Coyotes are common predators, often trying to flip porcupines over. - **Hunts:** Fisher (*Pekania pennanti*) — Fishers are agile mustelids known for preying on porcupines in trees. - **Eats:** [Quaking Aspen](https://www.snappit.app/explore/quaking-aspen) (*Populus tremuloides*) — Porcupines strip bark from aspen trees, especially during winter for food. - **Eaten by:** [Great Horned Owl](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-horned-owl) (*Bubo virginianus*) — These large owls can prey on porcupines from the air, avoiding quills. ## Traits - [Furry](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/furry): Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur. - [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. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. - [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:** 2/5 · Low If you see a porcupine, keep a safe distance and do not touch it. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Erethizon? 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 Erethizon? 75-120 cm ### How much does Erethizon weigh? 4.5-13 kg ### How long does Erethizon live? 5-10 years ### How fast can Erethizon move? 4 km/h ### What does Erethizon eat? This herbivore munches on leaves, twigs, and bark, especially in winter when other foods are scarce. ### Where is Erethizon usually found? Forests ### How does Erethizon 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*) --- Source: [Erethizon: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/erethizon)