All his back is covered with quills. The
quills are cylindrical and are 30-40 cm
long, they can be brown, black or white.
Between the quills there are also some
spines that are like the quills but more
flexible and that are 40-50 cm long.
The head and the under parts are
covered with short black or white fur.
The porcupines normally live in little
groups with no distinctions between male
and female. It is a nocturnal animal
but, if necessary, he goes out during the
day. He has an acute sense of smell
and hearing and he’s also an able
swimmer. A female porcupine normally
produces from 1 to 3 babies after a
gestation of 19-20 weeks.
Porcupines are now in danger because they are
hunted by mans that take the quills. Also they
cross highways and get under cars that kill them.
In the Mediterranean area there are only 6000-
7000 animals left that, in most cases, live in
natural parks of Italy and Spain.
