North American Porcupine

Erethizon dorsatum

Class

Mammalia

Order

rodentia

Family

erethizontidae

Genus

erethizon

The North American Porcupine is a large rodent covered in a coat of about 30,000 dark brown quills. As solitary species, they often search for plants to eat alone. Their diet consists of nitrogen or fiber dense plants and they are highly selective. While their quills provide extensive defense, they still fall prey to mountain lions and fishers.

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