The condition of the porcupine's habitat may be changing. Their favorite snack tree, the Eastern hemlock, is under attack from an invasive insect, the hemlock woolly adelgid. This tree has been especially hard hit in the southeastern US.
Porcupines also require downed logs or hollow trees, some sort of winter cover which although scenic does not contribute to the monetary value of a tree harvest. Modern forestry practices are often geared toward efficiency and maximization of harvest. An understanding of forests as habitat can help us maintain healthy forest ecosystems. Finally, some people consider porcupines a nuisance. In parts of their range, these animals may do damage to alfalfa fields.
Porcupines will also gnaw on manmade structures, outbuildings, furniture, even automobile undercarriages. The porcupines are in search of sodium. Although the porcupine is not in danger of becoming extinct any time soon, it is worth the effort to keep an eye on this solitary creature.
Its fate can tell us quite a bit about our relationship with the natural world, a world upon which we humans are still dependent. Skip to Main Content. The porcupines are diggers and also damage trees by stripping bark.
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Join Donate Shop. Buy Tickets Directions Zoo Map. Meet Kali. To All Animals hystrix africaeaustralis Cape Porcupine The spines and quills of a porcupine are modified hairs that are soft at birth but then harden. DIET Herbivore - fruit, bulbs, roots, bark, crops, sometimes carrion.
Dig Deeper Overview Taxonomy. Contact your local city or county government to inquire further. No guarantee is made that information or lack of information associated with a species or control technique is completely accurate or current. You should become familiar with federal, state and local laws before beginning any wildlife control activities. Presented by these government wildlife management agencies as a trusted source for sound, legal and responsible wildlife control and damage prevention advice.
How to protect my trees and shrubs from porcupines Explore this solution. Regulations for Maryland Permit Needed A landowner permit is needed to trap chipmunks, opossums, porcupines, rabbits, raccoons, skunks, tree squirrels and woodchucks in Maryland.
White tips on quills. Size: Males up to 24 lbs. Females are smaller up to 15 lbs. Lifespan: Up to 18 years in the wild. However, the quills are only one feature of this rodent. In fact, it is the second largest rodent native to North America; only the beaver is larger. Its range includes most of the continent, stretching from Alaska in the northwest, through the Great Lakes area, to the Canadian maritime provinces in the east and south to Virginia.
It is also found along the west coast as far south as northern Mexico, including the desert southwest.
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