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African Porcupine (Hystrix cristata)
THE HERBIVORES AND OMNIVORES
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Porcupines are rodents best known for their coat of sharp spines, or quills, that defend them from predators.
The porcupines are the fourth largest rodent, after the capybara, mara, and beaver, and are not to be confused with hedgehogs which are insectivores.
Most porcupines are about 60-90 cm (25-36 inches) long, with a 20-25 cm (8-10 inch) long tail. Weighing between 5-16 kg (12-35 pounds), they are rounded, large and slow. Porcupines come in various shades of brown, grey, and the unusual white. The name "porcupine" comes from combining the Latin for pig and French for spine, hence the nickname "quill pig" for the animal. Contrary to popular belief, porcupines are not capable of throwing their quills.
They defend themselves with sharp spines (which are actually modified hairs) rather like those of the hedgehogs, which are part of the order Insectivora and more closely related to shrews and moles than they are to the rodents, and the echidnas, which as monotremes are very distantly related indeed.
In parts of Africa, porcupines are eaten as a form of bush meat.
The African Porcupine, is a member of the Old World porcupine family. It is a nocturnal rodent that lives on the ground. It is tolerant of a range of habitats including mountains, deserts, and forests.
References
From www.Wikipedia.org, the free encyclopedia
* Grubb (2004). Hystrix cristata. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 11 May 2006.
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