Animal Porcupine Facts for Kids

The North American porcupine is the second largest rodent in the U.S. after the beaver. It also is the most northern ranging species of porcupine in the world. The porcupine is a well protected animal with sharp spines known as quill along its back, which can detach and be stuck into the face and body of a potential predator.

  1. Description

    • The porcupine grows to between 23 and 35 inches long and reaches 11 to 30 lbs. in weight. It is a stout, slow moving animal with short legs. The animal's fur is dark brown to black in color, and its quills are thin and sharp with yellowish coloring. Each porcupine has around 30,000 quills that are 3 inches long. Each quill has a tiny barb on the end that causes it to stick into attacking predators, causing much pain.

    Habitat and Range

    • The porcupine lives throughout the U.S. all along the west coast from Alaska down into northern Mexico. Their range extends east into the northeastern U.S. but not into the southeast. It is an adaptable animal, living in thick, forested areas as well as open plains and deserts. The porcupine is good at climbing and will hide in trees from predators. Animals in the northwest tend to live mostly on the ground, while eastern animals spend more time in the trees. All porcupines hibernate in burrows over the winter.

    Diet and Predators

    • The North American porcupine is fully vegetarian, eating specific plants at certain times of the year depending on its nutrition needs. Its diet varies from region to region depending on what is available. Plants commonly eaten include ponderosa pine, sugar maple tree buds and hemlock. The animal's quill defense is effective, but can still be beaten by animals, such as the fisher, bobcats, coyotes and wolves. Most of these animals use stealth and agility to avoid the quills, but mountain lions sometimes will simply attack and risk the spines.

    Life Cycle

    • Porcupines breed just once a year and only come together at this time. The breeding season runs from October to November with the female being pregnant for 205 to 217 days. The female gives birth to a small litter of 1 to 2 babies, which the mother looks after for 5 months. The animals have a short lifespan, generally only living for around 6 years in the wild, but some have been known to reach 13 years old.