Do you know porcupines climb trees? American porcupines are another misunderstood animal. Many folks believe they can shoot their quills at you? But it’s just not true.
But first, have you ever seen a porcupine in the wild? Maybe high up in a tree? Wait, they climb trees?
Yup and they fall out of trees a lot since they love the tender leaf buds at the very tip of branches. The branch breaks and well, you know what happens.
Porcupines love to climb trees but sometimes fall out. Ouch! Photo: Bernell MacDonald
Porcupines live in the northern and western United States and Canada. Diagram: Peppermint Narwhal
The American porcupine
The superpowers of porcupine quills
Porcupines have over 30,000 quills on their bodies. Wow! Photo: Kara Stenberg/Flicker
Porcupine myths
An illustration of an American porcupine climbing a tree.
Porcupine facts
- When a porcupine has babies, they are called porcupettes. And are they ever cute! American porcupines usually only have one baby born each year and their quills harden about an hour after birth.
- Porcupines are herbivores and especially like wood. Plus they have an intense craving for salt. So if you see wood-handled tools or canoe paddles knawed on, it just might be a porcupine.
- They also like to eat outhouses, if you happen to have one. Now that is curious. But think about it. Outhouses collect a lot of urine which is loaded with salt. Ahh, disgusting but now I see.
- When threatened, the porcupine will give off a strong odor to warn off predators. If that doesn’t work, they will squeeze the muscles near the skin, making their quills stand out. If the predator gets too close, they will get a face full of porcupine quills. Yikes!
- And those quills are hollow which helps the porcupine float making them very good swimmers. Hmm, they climb trees and swim. Our kind of sports!
- A porcupine group is called a prickle. How appropriate!
Baby porcupines are called porcupettes. Cute! Photo: ML Lombard
The benefits of American porcupines
Think of porcupines as free tree trimmers. Photo: James Gates/Flicker
Learn more
Smithsonian North American Porcupine
National Geographic “Porcupines”
Facts About Porcupines, LiveScience
A porcupine group is called a prickle. Photo: Mattnad/ Wikicommons
