These large rodents modify natural shelters among roots and rocks, inhabit holes made by other animals, or dig their own hideaways. From the head to the base of it’s tail, a cape porcupine measures between 63 and 81cm (25 and 32in) long. Wild Wednesday: African Cape Porcupine. It can grow up to 90 centimeters long and weigh up to 30 kilograms. Mexican Hairy Dwarf... North American porc... Phillipine Porcupin... POPULAR MAMMALS. Scales on quill tips lodge in the skin like fishhooks and are difficult to pull out. If cornered, it turns vicious and charges to stab its attacker with its quills. The black & white quills along the head and back can be raised into a crest, thus the name. Indian crested porc... Long-tailed Porcupi... Malayan porcupine. Porcupines have short bodies and are mostly dark brown and black in colour. The gestation period of the African crested porcupine is about 112 days. Their tail increases this length by 11-20cm (4.3-7.9in). Cape porcupines mate throughout the year, although births are most common during the rainy season, between August and March. The Cape porcupine is the largest porcupine in the world, alongside the nearly identical African crested porcupine. There are 11 species in this family. Our solutions to protecting the porcupine: African Wildlife Foundation educates communities about the importance of sustainable practices for agricultural and settlement growth by providing training on best practices and incentivizing conservation agriculture when appropriate. “Porcupine” means “quill pig.” Some animals kill and eat porcupines, but the quills are very sharp and pull out easily. When attacked, the porcupine freezes. [5], The eyes and ears are relatively small, and the mobile whiskers are short. Old World porcupine quills don't have the barbs found on the quills of New World porcupines, but they can still get stuck in the flesh of an attacking animal! The North African crested porcupine is the largest. Porcupines will stamp their feet, click their teeth, and growl or hiss while vibrating specialized quills that produce a characteristic rattle. Hystrix africaeaustralis . Learn how we're protecting Africa's species each and every day so we never have to live in a world without elephants, rhinos, and other precious wildlife. Asiatic Brush-taile... Brazilian porcupine. A "crest" of spiny hair accentuates the very top of her head, awash in a black-to-white gradient. Unless a previous litter is lost, females typically give birth only once each year. They are well-developed and are born with open eyes. [2] They are similar in appearance to, and only slightly larger than, their close relatives, the crested porcupines, and can most easily be distinguished from them by the presence of a band of short white spines along the midline of the rump. Oestrus lasts for an average of nine days, during which a membrane across the vagina opens to allow insemination. For the headland in Canada, see, Mori, E.; Lovari, S. (2014). Some African tribal people use their guard hairs and quills for ceremonial clothing including masks, vests, jewelry, and totems. One of Africa’s 2 largest rodents (the other is the crested porcupine, Hystrix cristata) (Barthelmess 2016b). Usually, the quills lie flat against the body, but if danger threatens, they raise and spread them. (eds. Rather, they get stuck in whatever touches the porcupine. "Reproductive biology of the male Cape porcupine, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cape_porcupine&oldid=967452516, Wikipedia articles needing clarification from June 2017, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 13 July 2020, at 09:53. New quills grow in to replace lost ones. THe porcupine does not shoot its quills out in defence, as it is rumoured to do. Quill length varies on different parts of the body, ranging from 2.5 to 30.5 centimeters (1 to 12 inches). Porcupines are the largest and heaviest of all African rodents. Crested Porcupine has somewhat long, coal-colored hair that falls evenly on either side of her head with distinctive, "quill"-like striped locks framing her round face. Cape porcupines are the largest rodents in southern Africa and also the world's largest porcupines. They are well-developed and are born with open eyes. [16], Relative to most other rodents, Cape porcupines are long-lived, surviving for ten years in the wild, or up to twenty years in captivity. [5], This article is about an African porcupine. Porcupines are most common in hilly, rocky country, but they can adapt to most habitats — excessively moist forests and the most barren of deserts seem to be the only exceptions. The African porcupine is the largest rodent in the regions they inhabit. The head is roundish and rather domed, with a blunt muzzle and small eyes and ears. and are about 30” in length, and have very poor vision. As human populations expand, humans and porcupines find themselves in increasingly close quarters. They are smoked out of their burrows and hunted with spears, nets, or dogs. The black and white quills along the head and back of this spiny mammal can be raised into a crest, hence its common name of crested porcupine. They are often considered pests by local farmers, because they can feed on crops and damage trees. Unleash more canine heroes to save elephants. Porcupine or Cape Porcupine [Hystrix africaeaustralis] Appearance. Unlike New World porcupines, Old World porcupines don't climb trees. With cape porcupine inclusive all porcupines have lined quills which is significant for their hairs. Cape porcupines eat mostly plant material: fruits, roots, tubers, bulbs, and bark. Between one and four young are born in the grass-lined burrow. It has long hair and black-and-white quills that can grow to a foot in length. [5] They weigh from 10 to 24 kilograms (22 to 53 pounds), with exceptionally large specimens weighing up to 30 kg (66 lb);[6][7] males and females are not significantly different in size. These burrows are most commonly occupied in family units. The gestation period of the African crested porcupine is about 112 days. Their quill lengths vary on different parts of the body, anywhere from 1” to 12” on their back. Porcupine or Cape porcupine (Hystrix africaeaustralis) Order Rodentia. Cape porcupines are one of the world’s largest porcupine species. [13] After mating, a copulatory plug forms, which is expelled about 48 hours later. Human also eat porcupines in some places. Cape porcupine (Hystrix africaeaustralis) The Cape porcupine grows up to a meter long and 20kg in weight. Its proportions are not as attractive as its animal itself. Whereas, the larger crested porcupine is 60-83 cm long and its body weight is 13-27 kg. Although African crested porcupines Hystrix spp. ... African porcupine. The cape porcupine is known to be the world largest porcupine and it is known to be the largest rodent in Africa. Search. Their most recognizable feature is, of course, its quills. The African Crested porcupine has a black body and black hair. They have a long small intestine and large caecum, employing hindgut fermentation to break down the tough materials in their food. However, these dimensions are not as impressive as the sight of the animal itself. Description. Porcupines primarily eat roots, tubers, bark, and fallen fruit but also have a fondness for cultivated root crops such as cassava, potatoes, and carrots. represent 0.5–34% of lion Panthera leo kills, interactions between the two species are poorly documented. Cape porcupines are the largest rodents in Africa and also the world's largest porcupines. The long-tailed porcupine of the Old World is 27.9-48 cm long and its weight varies from 1.5 to 2.3 kg. Meat from the African crested porcupine, much like other rodents, is considered a delicacy in Kenya and other parts of Africa. Cape Porcupine, Newfoundland and Labrador, "Aspects of the digestion in the Cape porcupine", "Reproduction in captive female Cape porcupines (. Cape porcupines seem to be the world's fourth heaviest living rodents, after the capybara and the Eurasian and North American beavers. Cape porcupines are found across the whole of southern and central Africa, to southern Kenya, Uganda, and Congo at the northern edge of their range. The young leave home for the first time at about two weeks of age, as their quills — soft at birth — begin to harden. Otherwise, the porcupine may retreat into its burrow, exposing only its quills and making it hard to dislodge. Both species have long, white, stiletto-like quills running the length of their backs that, when raised, make the animals appear at least twice as large as they actually are. Characteristics: Cape porcupines are one of the world’s largest porcupine … They are similar in appearance to, and only slightly larger than, their close relatives, the crested porcupines, and can most easily be distinguished from them by the presence of a band of short white spines along the midline of the rump. When porcupine populations close to cultivated areas surge, they can become serious agricultural pests. Its quills are longer (8 to 16 inches in length) and cover the lower half of the porcupine’s body. The legs are short and sturdy, and each foot has five toes, all equipped with powerful claws. They warn potential enemies of their defense system when alarmed. The word porcupine means “quill pig” in Latin; however, porcupines are large rodents and have no relation to pigs. [8] Both sexes scent mark their territory, although males do so more frequently, and may play a more active role in its defence. Habitat: Highly adaptable, living anywhere vegetation is available.They are more likely to be found in open spaces rather than wooded areas, and they seek out rocky crevices, abandoned burrows and caves for shelter. Size. Ever dapper, the Crested Porcupine Friend dresses herself in a simple but stylish black sweater-vest over top of a gray dress shirt and white business ti… Skip navigation Sign in. Appearance Female porcupines are about one kilogram heavier than males, weighing 10-24 kg and males with a mass of 10-19 kg. The Cape Porcupine is the largest species of porcupine in the world growing up to 90cm long. Her gentle eyes are a deep brown. [5] However, their debarking of trees may also play a role in the maintenance of local savannah ecosystems, helping to prevent the development of denser forested environments. 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