Basic characteristics
• Body: It is the largest rodent in the region; the upper body is covered with long black and white spines and quills. A crest of very long hair extends from the head to the shoulders.
• Color: Black and white spines and quills, and black hair.
• Size: Shoulder height 25 cm. Almost 1 m in length.
• Weight: 10-24 Kg.
• Dropping: Oblong and slightly curved with tails occurring frequently. Its color varies from light brown to black. The animal follows established path leaving feces as a trace.
Behavior
Nocturnal and can be found in burrows, caves or among the rocks during the day. They are mainly solitary foragers but pairs and family groups are common and can be found sharing burrows. The spines, quills and hairs are all raised when the animal feels danger; this is done to protect it from predators.
Feeding habits: Herbivore
Porcupines feed on a large variety of plants; they dig for bulbs, corns, roots and tree bark.
Natural predator(s)
• Jackals • Hyenas