Safety note: Bites when cornered — do not handle.
The North American Porcupine is a large rodent covered in roughly 30,000 hollow, barbed quills used for defense against predators. Contrary to popular belief, porcupines cannot throw their quills, but the quills detach easily on contact and work deeper into flesh due to their backward-facing barbs. In winter, porcupines spend much of their time in treetops gnawing bark, leaving distinctive tooth marks on conifers.
Habitat
Boreal and mixed forests, shrublands, and rocky outcrops
Diet
Bark, twigs, buds, leaves, and berries
How common
Common
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