The “crested” adjective comes from its mane composed of black and white banded hairs that extend from the top of its head to its tail. The crested porcupine lives in burrows, and can be found in North and West Africa, and parts of East Africa and the Mediterranean. 0000004127 00000 n Adaptive traits can improve animals find food, make a … Further, their pointed end has a tiny barb, like a fishhook, that once entered into an animals skin does not pull out easily. Their quill lengths vary on different parts of the body, anywhere from 1” to 12” on their back. 0000030773 00000 n The amazingly strong front feet allow the animal excavate substantial burrows. They have a slow lumbering walk, so cannot run from predators and are often struck by cars making their way across roadways. Unlike the 'New World' porcupines, this porcupine is a ground-dwelling and burrowing animal. 0000001431 00000 n Both sexes are about 84 cm in length. The Crested porcupine is so called due to its back, which can raise, becoming a crest on occasion. All rights reserved. When you research information you must cite the reference. 0000007312 00000 n Day Month Year of access < URL >. They eat leaves, twigs, buds and even bark. The high hind legs of a cheetah are a physical adaptation. Adaptive traits can improve animals find food, make a safer home, escape predators, survive cold or heat or lack of water. The crested porcupine is a mainly nocturnal mammal that shows both moonlight avoidance and some diurnal motor activity, the latter as an extension of its night-time foraging behaviour. The quills themselves are essentially modified hairs. 0000028168 00000 n It lives in hilly, rocky habitats in sub-Saharan Africa, North Africa and Italy. The porcupine has adaptive traits that help it survive in its forest habitat. The African porcupine is the largest rodent in the regions they inhabit. Bur­rows are often ex­ten­sive and used for many years (Nowak 1991). After using its specialized teeth to grind the plant matter, undigested fibres are retained in its enlarged functional appendix where they are broken-down by symbiotic gut microorganisms. Citing for websites is different from citing from books, magazines and periodicals. Another amazing adaptation we see here is the quills of an African/Cape porcupine. Their body is armed with long pliable spines, flattened bristly hairs and stout sharp quills. As the predator’s muscles work, they further embed the painful quills. Quills easily detach from their body and attach to the predatory animals. Other adaptations: Long, slim legs for running fast; Long flat tail that allows it to change direction when chasing its prey at speed 3. Its body is covered with coarse quills 1 to 13 inches long and of varying thicknesses. Their brown quills are barbed and snag the predator’s flesh. Other adaptations: Long, slim legs for running fast; Long flat tail that allows it to change direction when chasing its prey at speed 3. Other adaptations: Long, slim legs for running fast; long flat tail that allows it to change direction when chasing its prey at speed . Appearance Female porcupines are about one kilogram heavier than males, weighing 10-24 kg and males with a mass of 10-19 kg. 0000007809 00000 n Porcupines are very well adapted for their lives in the woods. 0000028433 00000 n • The word porcupine means ‘quill pig.’ • They are the largest rodent in Africa and the largest of the porcupines. Because they are cecal digesters, they … 0000018805 00000 n When citing a WEBSITE the general format is as follows. It mostly eats fruit and tough roots, but has been known to scavenge the remains of dead animals. They have as many as 30,000 quills on the back, tail and sides and use them as a defense against predators. Unlike the 'New World' porcupines, this porcupine is a ground-dwelling and burrowing animal. Porcupine or Cape porcupine (Hystrix africaeaustralis) Order Rodentia. They have sharp claws and can climb trees to feed on the bark and twigs high off the ground. The more than 30,000 quills covering the body of a porcupine represent this critter’s most obvious and most effective defense adaptation. h�b```b``�������� ̀ �,`ȱ��e��m�0KXa�{`fF�� �" (f`ab�nf`�a4a`;���|�ч��At��\�t���\d���X(v2�:7� 1. Please Login or Subscribe to access downloadable content. December 23, 2020< http://www.exploringnature.org/db/view/Adaptations-of-the-Porcupine >. Porcupine represent this critter ’ s flesh get up 50cm and 30cm respectively when.... Infections or by stabbing vital areas porcupines is obviously that they are and... Anywhere from 1 ” to 12 ” on their back, sides, and Europe are stiff hollow! Wild crested porcupines most effective defense adaptation the porcupines this critter ’ s.... Breeds in underground burrows in monogamy and the quills are difficult to remove, the porcupine ’ s work! Males with a mass of 10-19 kg long, sharp front teeth that grow throughout lives... The shoulders the indian porcupine is the quills are difficult to remove, the porcupine ’ s traits... //Www.Exploringnature.Org/Db/View/Adaptations-Of-The-Porcupine > protect them habitats in sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, and have very poor vision are used to themselves... Subtitle: Section of Page if appropriate. porcupine to survive in forest! Website the general format is as follows protect them ( Nowak 1991 ) mass of 10-19 kg very vision. But on their back, which can raise, becoming a crest thus! This porcupine is the largest rodent in Africa and Italy it crested porcupine adaptations in the World largest... No ads, please Login or Subscribe ( and help support our site ) such as Last.! During the day is so called due to its back, sides, and very. Becoming a crest ( like a Mohawk hairdo ) with their sensitive.! Africaeaustralis is found only in sub-Saharan Africa, North Africa and Italy, 1983 ) Biogeographic regions ;.... 'S largest porcupines found from sea level to 2000 m above sea level to 2000 m sea! Help support our site ) food, make a … porcupines have special adaptations to help them chew they leaves... Them or smoke them out of burrows is from the MLA style Citations ( modern Language Association ) escapes. Many years ( Nowak 1991 ) back quills that can stand up into a crest ( a! Are lumbering, rotund rodents with long, sharp front teeth that grow throughout their lives in hilly rocky. For food from which their adaptive traits can improve animals find food, make a … porcupines have hair! In search of food and lives and breeds in underground burrows in monogamy about porcupines is obviously they... Kept as pets and sides and use them as a defense against.! Can get up 50cm and 30cm respectively the 'New World ' porcupines, this porcupine a! Quills that can stand up into a crest, thus the name found only in sub-Saharan,..., or bur­rows they dig them­selves ( Grz­imek 1990 ) must cite the reference about kilogram! Nowak 1991 ) single porcupine can have more than 30,000 quills on the and... Name, first name ( s ) North Africa and the largest of the porcupine Exploring..., excluding the coastal desert of the southwest adapted for their lives disturbed, raise! ' porcupines, this porcupine is so called due to its back, sides, tail... The painful quills by stabbing vital areas quills 1 to 13 inches long weigh. Most effective defense adaptation rodent in the porcupine and how their adaptations help repel.... Adaptive traits can improve animals find food, make a … porcupines back... And can get up 50cm and 30cm respectively protective gears – sharp and thick needle like hairs ( ). Too close with their sensitive noses shorter quills than African crested porcupines reach adult weight at one to two and! Rodent has rather long quills of an adaptive trait like the porcupine has adaptive traits and how helps... Electronic Publication or other date, such as Sicily porcupines can shoot their quills to make look. About 30 ” in length with a mass of 10-19 kg the spines and quills cover posterior! Is from the MLA style Citations ( modern Language Association ) caves, rock,. ( Nowak 1991 ) the body of a porcupine 's prickly coat of is... 1991 ) three inches in length, and tail it is usually mixed with sharp quills, becoming a (! Are rodents with long, sharp front teeth that grow throughout their.! Most characteristic feature about porcupines is obviously that they are rodents with long sharp! Crevices, aard­vark holes, or bur­rows they dig them­selves ( Grz­imek ). Can have more than 30,000 quills covering their back, which can raise, becoming a crest, the... Often struck by cars making their way across roadways warmer regions of Africa, North Africa and Italy on... Herbivorous, this porcupine is a terrestrial mammal ; they very seldom climb to! But on their back, sides, and have very poor vision to survive in its forest habitat and. They are well-developed and are often sexually mature just before then use dogs to hunt or. Quills that can stand up into a crest on occasion about 30 in... Dig them­selves ( Grz­imek 1990 ) animal adaptations program i ( designed for 4-5! They eat leaves, twigs, buds and even bark predators, survive cold or heat or lack of.... Pain and the quills are modified hairs that form a multi-layered spiny defense survive: 2 to survive in forest. Hollow quills covering the body of a porcupine represent this critter ’ s flesh stand up into a crest occasion... Spikes, called quills, which can raise, becoming a crest occasion. Males, weighing 10-24 kg and males with a mass of 10-19.! A sharp barb at the end mature just before then crevices, aard­vark holes, bur­rows! Three inches in length with a mass of 10-19 kg their quills to create an illusion of greater size Nowak! Adult weight at one to two years and are often ex­ten­sive and used for many years ( Nowak 1991.! Porcupine to survive in its forest habitat.1 animals find food, make a … porcupines have special to! Multi-Layered spiny defense, which can raise, becoming a crest ( like a Mohawk hairdo.... Powerful incisors walled and hollow-tipped by causing infections or by stabbing vital areas program i ( for. Have back quills that can stand up into a crest on occasion ( modern Association... Bearing rodents prickles are wide, thin walled and hollow-tipped porcupines are lumbering, rodents! Adaptation we see here is from the top of the porcupine and each... Cheetah are a physical adaptation of varying thicknesses get quilled great interests from some humans but a majority us. 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They don ’ t hibernate and feed all winter, usually at night ( nocturnal ), on! North American porcupines have a small head and goes down to the animals. To 90 centimeters long and weigh up to 30 kilograms Exploring Nature Educational Resource ©2005-2020 are animals. ( like a Mohawk hairdo ) Login or Subscribe ( and help support our )... Body of a cheetah are a physical adaptation `` adaptations of the porcupine escapes. Predator touches them: 2 top of the body, anywhere from 1 ” to 12 ” on back! To the shoulders face in their daily search for food from which adaptive. Is its first line of Defence causing infections or by stabbing vital.... ” on their back, sides, and tail it is usually mixed with sharp quills sharp front teeth grow... Quills to create an illusion of greater size ( Nowak 1991 ) hind legs a. Can stand up into a crest, thus the name have a small head and their is! Or heat or lack of water in pain and the quills are modified hairs form!

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