# Indian Crested Porcupine (*Hystrix indica*) The Indian Crested Porcupine is a spiky animal that loves to dig and eat plants. They have sharp quills that help protect them from danger. These friendly creatures are mostly active at night! - **Category:** [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/mammal) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 3/5 · Moderate - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![Indian Crested Porcupine](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Hystrix_indica_%28Indian_Crested_Porcupine%29_at_IG_Zoological_park%252C_Visakhapatnam_03.JPG&width=800) Photo: Adityamadhav83, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hystrix_indica_%28Indian_Crested_Porcupine%29_at_IG_Zoological_park%252C_Visakhapatnam_03.JPG) ## Appearance The Indian Crested Porcupine is a large rodent covered in long, sharp quills banded with white and brown. It has a distinctive crest of lighter quills on its head and neck, which can be raised. Its face and limbs are typically dark brown to black. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Mammalia - **Order:** Rodentia - **Family:** Hystricidae - **Genus:** Hystrix ## Interesting facts - Baby porcupines are called 'porcupettes' and are born with soft quills! - Porcupines rattle hollow quills on their tail to warn predators about danger! - Their quills are modified hairs and can grow up to 30 centimeters long! - They use their strong teeth to gnaw on bones, getting vital minerals! ## Special abilities - **Nocturnal Navigator:** Indian Crested Porcupine has excellent low-light vision and hearing that helps them find food and avoid predators in the dark. - **Expert Digger:** Indian Crested Porcupine can dig extensive burrows because of its strong claws that help them create safe dens. - **Crest Display:** Indian Crested Porcupine can raise its crest and rattle its hollow quills to make itself look bigger and warn off threats. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 78-100 cm - **Weight:** 11-24 kg - **Lifespan:** 10-20 years - **Speed:** 15 km/h - **Litter Size:** 1-4 - **Gestation:** 112 days ## Diet & Feeding This porcupine munches on roots, fruits, and bark, sometimes even gnawing on bones for minerals! - **Primary Foods:** Roots, Tubers, Fruits, Bark, Bones, Insects - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Leopard](https://www.snappit.app/explore/leopard) (*Panthera pardus*) — Leopards occasionally prey on porcupines despite their quills. - **Eaten by:** [Tiger](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tiger) (*Panthera tigris*) — Tigers are powerful enough to overcome porcupine defenses. - **Eaten by:** Striped Hyena (*Hyaena hyaena*) — Hyenas can kill porcupines, often by flipping them over. ## Traits - [Furry](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/furry): Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur. - [Crested](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/crested): Crested describes animals possessing a prominent tuft of feathers, hair, or skin on their head. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Burrowing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/burrowing): Burrowing animals dig tunnels and chambers in the ground, using these subterranean structures for shelter, hunting, or breeding. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [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, keep your distance! Their quills can hurt if you touch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Indian Crested Porcupine? 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 Indian Crested Porcupine? 78-100 cm ### How much does Indian Crested Porcupine weigh? 11-24 kg ### How long does Indian Crested Porcupine live? 10-20 years ### How fast can Indian Crested Porcupine move? 15 km/h ### What does Indian Crested Porcupine eat? This porcupine munches on roots, fruits, and bark, sometimes even gnawing on bones for minerals! ### Where is Indian Crested Porcupine usually found? Grasslands ### How does Indian Crested Porcupine hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [Mill Mountain Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/mill-mountain-zoo) — Virginia, US · Zoo - [Naturschutz-Tierpark Görlitz](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/naturschutz-tierpark-g-rlitz) — Saxony, DE · Zoo - [Zoo Braunschweig](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/zoo-braunschweig) — Niedersachsen, DE · Zoo [View all places to see Indian Crested Porcupine](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/indian-crested-porcupine) ## 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: [Indian Crested Porcupine: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/indian-crested-porcupine)