By Lindsay Rogers
Erethizon dorsatum
Although they have relatively poor
eyesight and are slow moving, don't
think the porcupine is unprotected.
Porcupines are covered by
nearly 30,000 quills, each with
specialized barbs on the tip to ensure
they stick into any offending predator.
Many believe that porcupines can
throw or shoot their quills at
predators. This myth is not true,
but quills release easily from
the porcupine once stuck in
an enemy. The back, sides
and tail are intermixed with
both quills and soft fur;
their stomach is covered with only hair. These large rodents feed on plant material such as buds, stems
and fruit, and are especially fond of the sugary cambium layer located just under the bark of trees.
In Nebraska, porcupines are most common in the rocky terrain of the western conifer forests. Eastern
expansion has been seen in recent years, with some species being found near the Missouri River. ■
North American
Porcupine
PHOTO
BY
JOEL
SARTORE
A Mammal Brief
Lindsay Rogers is an outdoor
education specialist with the
Nebraska Game and Parks
Commission.
6 NEBRASKAland • DECEMBER 2015
