prehensile tailed porcupine

Prehensile-tailed Porcupine
Fast Facts
What do they look like?
Prehensile-tailed porcupines ranges in color from brownish-yellow to nearly black. Their
bodies are about 18 inches long and are covered with thick, sharp quills, which are longer
and lighter in color than their fur. Their long tails are also quilled, but have bare tips for
better grip. Both hind- and forefeet have four digits with long curved claws for climbing.
They have a bald, bulbous nose which aids their excellent sense of smell; however, they
have poor vision.
How do they behave?
Common Name: Prehensile-tailed
Porcupine
Scientific Name: Coendou
prehensilis
Class: Mammalia
Order: Rodentia
Family: Erethizontidae
Range: Northern South America,
including Brazil, Bolivia, Venezuela and
Guyana
Prehensile-tailed porcupines are arboreal, spending most of their time climbing among the
treetops in their forest homes. They are nocturnal, spending their days sleeping in
hollows or tangled vines high above the forest floor, awakening at night to forage. They
rarely drink water, but obtain all they need from their diet. When confronted, they may
stomp their feet and shake their quills, making a rattling noise. Like all porcupines, their
barbed quills are not thrown or shot at predators, but release quite easily when the
porcupine is tense.
What’s on the menu?
In the wild, they eat fruit, flowers, leaves, shoots, and the inner bark of trees. At the Zoo
they eat primate biscuits, fruits, and vegetables.
How are they born?
Mother prehensile-tailed porcupines give birth to a single baby after a 203-day gestation
period. Babies are born year-round, and have reddish hair and soft quills, which harden in
about a week. They are born with their eyes open and are able to climb within a few hours
of birth. They are weaned around 10 weeks, and will sexually maturity in 1.5 years.
What should you know about them?
These porcupines, like others in their family, have a gland near the base of their tail which
secretes hormones used to mark their territory. This contributes to their musky odor,
strengthened by the fact that they rarely bathe or groom their quills. They have been
observed displaying unusual courtship behavior, including rubbing noses and ‘dancing’ on
their hind limbs. Males have also been observed urinating on females while courting!
What can you do to help?
Habitat: Rainforests
Lifespan: Up to 17 years in captivity;
unknown in the wild
Conservation Status: Stable
Prehensile-tailed porcupines are in danger from habitat destruction. The forests where
they live are being cleared to provide land for agriculture and urban growth. What you buy
can help protect forest habitat. Buy wood products that are sustainably harvested, coffee
which is shade-grown, and produce grown locally to you.