# North American Porcupine (*Erethizon dorsatum*)

> The North American porcupine is a slow, nearsighted rodent armed with roughly 30,000 barbed quills covering its back and tail. It climbs trees to eat bark and leaves, defends by backing into predators, and lives across forests and tundra from Alaska to Mexico.

- **Category:** Mammal
- **Conservation status (IUCN):** Least Concern
- **Range:** Forests, shrublands, and tundra from Alaska and Canada through the western and northeastern United States to northern Mexico.
- **Canonical page:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/porcupine/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Scientific classification

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Chordata
- **Class:** Mammalia
- **Order:** Rodentia
- **Family:** Erethizontidae
- **Genus:** Erethizon

## Facts at a glance

| Attribute | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Scientific name | Erethizon dorsatum |
| Diet | Herbivore — tree bark, leaves, buds, and green plants |
| Habitat | Forests, shrublands, and tundra across North America |
| Lifespan | 15–18 years in the wild |
| Weight | 5–14 kg (11–31 lb) |
| Top speed | Up to 3 km/h (2 mph) on ground; agile in trees |
| Conservation status | Least Concern (IUCN) |

## Quill defence

Quills are modified hairs with barbed tips that embed and migrate in attackers — painful and difficult to remove. Porcupines cannot shoot quills; predators must contact the raised tail. Fishers are skilled porcupine hunters, attacking the unquilled face.

## Arboreal herbivore

Strong claws and rough soles let porcupines spend days in trees eating inner bark, especially in winter. Their salt craving draws them to road salt, tool handles, and plywood glue — sometimes bringing them near human structures.

## Slow reproduction

Females bear a single precocial young after seven months gestation — long for a rodent. Baby porcupines ('porcupettes') have soft quills that harden within hours. Adults are solitary except during breeding.

## Forest role and conflict

Porcupines girdle trees, sometimes damaging timber operations, but also create habitat for other species through bark stripping. Least Concern globally, they remain common across Canada and the western United States.

## Frequently asked questions

### Can porcupines shoot quills?

No — quills detach when touched. The porcupine swings its tail at predators, and barbed tips embed on contact.

### What eats porcupines?

Fishers are the main specialist predators, attacking the face where quills are sparse. Cougars, wolves, and bobcats occasionally succeed.

### Are porcupines rodents?

Yes — among the largest rodents in North America, in the family Erethizontidae, separate from Old World porcupines.

### Why do porcupines climb trees?

To feed on bark, leaves, and buds — especially in winter when ground forage is scarce.

### Are porcupines dangerous to dogs?

Very — curious dogs often receive quills in the face and mouth. Veterinary removal is usually required; quills do not dissolve.

## Sources

- [IUCN Red List — Erethizon dorsatum.](https://www.iucnredlist.org/search?query=Erethizon%20dorsatum&searchType=species)
- [Animal Diversity Web — Erethizon dorsatum. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.](https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Erethizon_dorsatum/)

---
Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/porcupine/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.