1-2 young are born after a gestation period of 90-112 days, females typically give birth only once a year, in a grass-lined chamber within a burrow system. As nocturnal animals, porcupines use their long whiskers to help them feel around in the dark when foraging. The size of the spikes can depend on the porcupine’s species with one of the largest belonging to the African Crested Porcupine as stated by National Geographic. The African crested porcupine is usually found in rocky, hill country but they are very adaptable animals who make their home in most types of environment, though there are a few exceptions. Porcupines are found throughout the Americas, Europe, Asia and Africa. Crested porcupines live on the ground in the grasslands, forests and rocky outcrops of Africa. Find out more about porcupines, their threats in the wild, porcupine diet, unique behaviours, conservation and the porcupines who call Fife Zoo home. Although they have been found at altitudes of 11,480 feet on Mount Kilimanjaro, they are not found in … Social Structure. In captivity African Crested Porcupines are fed: rodent block, wild herbivore pellets, mazuri leafeater biscuit, sweet potato, kale, romaine, corn, and carrots. Habitat The crested porcupine is found in Italy, North Africa and sub-Saharan Africa Diet Crested porcupines are mostly herbivores, eating roots, bulbs and crops. Indian porcupines are almost the same size on average as well, being slightly heavier on average than crested porcupine but slightly lighter than Cape porcupines. To answer the question more specifically would mean looking into individual species and their geographical location. Sample preparation techniques for microhistological analysis. The North African crested porcupine are herbivores. Porcupines chew on the bones of dead animals to sharpen their incisors and possibly to add calcium and other minerals to their diet. Diet . Similar to their cousins, they are stocky and rounded in build but they differ for their complete upper lips and rooted molars. Porcupines have craving for salt since their natural diet is low in sodium. Meet Me at the Zoo African Journey View on Zoo Map. We also included a fun and healthy snack you can make! Farmers use dogs to hunt them or smoke them out of burrows. African crested porcupines are the largest species of porcupines found in Africa. Indian crested porcupines have a very broad and mostly herbivorous diet. Studied was the diet of crested porcupines by faecal analysis in a rural hilly area in central Italy. Some also gnaw on dry bones. Habitat. Occasionally, they will gnaw on old carcasses and bones to get calcium and to wear down their teeth. Cape porcupines are the largest rodents in Africa and also the world's largest porcupines. Cape porcupines measure 63 to 81 centimetres (25 to 32 inches) long from the head to the base of the tail, with the tail adding a further 11–20 centimetres (4.3–7.9 inches). Movements and diet of crested porcupines in the Maremma Natural Park, central Italy. Interesting Facts: • Like other rodents, they have a single pair of sharp, continually growing incisor teeth that they use to gnaw and rip tough plant material. 1-4 per litter. Porcupines have special quills at the end of their tail which they rattle like a rattlesnake. Their sodium craving has them gnawing away at such a high variety of unexpected food sources due to salts emitted by humans and animals as they sweat or that just naturally occur in the composition of wooden materials. African crested porcupines eat tubers, bark, bulbs, fallen fruit and cultivated root crops. Crested porcupines, because they are nocturnal, mate during the night close to the burrow or even inside it. Although they have been found at altitudes of 11,480 feet on Mount Kilimanjaro, they are not found in dry, empty deserts or damp forests. We very much value your support. A captive H. indica eating plant material. This nocturnal animal burrows itself in sheltered caves or between rocks during the day. ACTIVE. Brachyura Credit: Getty Images pile of malayan porcupine diet that have lots of pine needles in them to 16 inches porcupine! We also included a fun and healthy snack you can make! On these particular arboreal species, quills on the tail are really hard, tough and also points backwards enabling them to stay and climb on the tree branches. Diet. 1-2 young are born after a gestation period of 90-112 days, females typically give birth only once a year, in a grass-lined chamber within a burrow system. Running a site like AnimalMentor.com needs significant resources to run and as we are a resource of high quality and original content, affiliate links are a way we can help to balance those running costs at no extra cost to the user. Hilly, rocky country, woodland savanna. There have however been records of porcupine scavenging the meat from animal carcasses too, which they have dragged back to their dens to consume; they’re not picky at all! Diet and Nutrition. African crested porcupines are the largest species of porcupines found in Africa. Males are larger than the females. Herbs were the most eaten epygeal category especially in winter and spring. These herbivorous (lignivorous) rodents mainly consume bark, roots, tubers, rhizomes, bulbs, fallen fruits and cultivated crops, complementing their diet with insects and small vertebrates. At first glance, a porcupine is not an animal you want to chase and that’s exactly why it has developed its effective spiny defense system that’s almost certain to deter any would-be attacker. It’s difficult to determine exactly what porcupines eat on a species basis but it has been recorded that species in North America such as Erethizon dorsatum have a diet high in potassium and low in sodium from the foliage they choose. They are nocturnal and forage alone at night, traveling up to 9 miles in their search for food. Diet: Variety of plants, roots, and fruit. Gestation. This could be mistaken for many other animals but as expert trackers will know, the urine of a porcupine has a very particular, sweet pine odor specific to them. They return to the den and rest during the day. Herbivore - fruit, bulbs, roots, bark, crops, sometimes carrion. Food and digestion. Possibly the winter consumption of herbs was related to a…, Feeding habits of the crested porcupine Hystrix cristata L. 1758 (Mammalia, Rodentia) in a Mediterranean area of Central Italy, The porcupine as “Little Thumbling”: The role of Hystrix cristata in the spread of Helianthus tuberosus, Evidence of scavenging behaviour in crested porcupine, Suburban ecology of the crested porcupine in a heavily poached area: a global approach, Patterns of spatial overlap in a monogamous large rodent, the crested porcupine, Crested porcupines (Hystrix cristata): mycophagist spore dispersers of the ectomycorrhizal truffle Tuber aestivum, First report of Giardia duodenalis infection in the crested porcupine (Hystrix cristata L., 1758), Distribution of Indian Crested Porcupine Hystrix indica ( Kerr , 1792 ) ( Mammalia : Rodentia ) in Batman Province Yrd, Much ado about nothing: assessing the impact of a problematic rodent on agriculture and native trees, Structure of phytobezoars found in the stomach of a crested porcupine, Hystrix cristata L., 1758, Observations on the feeding habits of the Indian crested porcupine (Hystrix indica) and the distribution of some hemicryptophytes and geophytes in the Negev desert highlands, Environmental factors influencing the use of habitat in the red fox, Vulpes vulpes, Qualitative Identification of Forage Remnants in Deer Feces, DIFFERENCES IN THE QUALITY OF FOOD EATEN BY RED DEER (CERVUS ELAPHUS) STAGS AND HINDS IN WINTER, Composition of the Food of the Spanish Wild Goat in Sierras de Cazorla and Segura, Spain, THE HABITS AND INFLUENCE ON THE ENVIRONMENT OF THE OLD WORLD PORCUPINE Hystrix cristata L. IN THE NORTHERNMOST PART OF ITS RANGE, Temporal activity patterns of crested porcupines Hystrix cristata, Crested porcupine digs in the Negev desert highlands: patterns of density, size, and longevity. The crested porcupine is primarily a herbivorous forager. Their gestation period is 107 … These porcupines tend to have quite stocky and heavy builds. It is mostly nocturnal, but will sometimes forage for food in the day, eating bark, roots, fruits and berries, as well as farm crops. Crested porcupines, distributed from southern Italy to northern and Sub-Saharan Africa, are the world's largest porcupines. The spines on their back are referred to as quills. Size: 24 – 33 inches length Weight: 22 – 66 lbs Lifespan: 20 years in the wild. Though they forage alone, they live in small family groups made up of an adult pair and their young, both infants and juveniles. KEY WORDS : Crested Porcupine - Hystrix cristata – Burkina Faso – unconventional breeding – zootechnical parameters – economic viability. The crested porcupine lives in burrows, and can be found in North and West Africa, and parts of East Africa and the Mediterranean. • Porcupines often gnaw bones for their minerals and also to sharpen their powerful incisors. Their diet consists of mostly plants and roots, but they may also eat insects and small vertebrae. Diet: Variety of plants, roots, and fruit. Parasites and wildlife, View 4 excerpts, cites background and results, By clicking accept or continuing to use the site, you agree to the terms outlined in our. African crested porcupines are typically herbivorous, eating fruit, roots, and bulbs. Cape porcupines are one of the world’s largest porcupine species. Acta Theriologica, 35(3-4):173-180. There are 11 species within the old world porcupine family; they tend to be nocturnal and larger than the new world family with a couple of exceptions. The African Crested Porcupine is a large, stout rodent with small eyes, a blunt rounded head, and erect quills which cover its crown, back and flanks. Porcupines are nocturnal social animals, living in small family groups of an adult pair and their offspring. Diet. The crested porcupine also occasionally consumes insects, small vertebrates, and carrion. Porcupines are a type of rodent found in two main regions of the world, so scientists group them into either Old World or New World porcupines. They will occasionally chew on bones in search of minerals that help their spines grow. They also raid cultivated areas to eat cassava, groundnuts, and sweet potatoes. It’s extremely useful to know the animals that exist in the wild and local area, especially for hitchhikers, campers, and animal filmmakers, so that you know if animals in the vicinity pose a threat to you. LIFESPAN. It mostly eats fruit and tough roots, but has been known to scavenge the remains of dead animals. WEIGHT. It eats bark, roots, fruits, berries and insects. At night, the porcupine will collect bones to chew on for their teeth and to get calcium. Don't forget to like, share and donate! The crested porcupine appears to be a good candidate for commercial rearing of game, especially because its zootechnical parameters can be greatly improved thanks to selection and the creation of an optimised grower diet. African Crested Porcupines are the 3rd largest rodent in the world, with some indivuduals weighing as much as 60lbs. They are covered with flat, bristly hairs and have quills and spines on the back and flanks. Diet African Crested porcupines are herbivores (plant eaters), primarily eating roots, tubers*, bark and fallen fruit, and will seek out cultivated root crops like potatoes and carrots, making them agricultural pests. LEAST CONCERNED. Adult African Crested Porcupine. In the wild their diet varies from twigs, berries, barks, leaves, roots, stem and other vegetation depending on the seasons and species of porcupines. They feed on roots, bulbs, tuber and bark. Please assume all of the links on AnimalMentor.com are affiliate based links from which our website gains a small commission from sales of particular products. Other than the main preference of bark and roots; foliage, fruit, shoots and sometimes insects have been recorded to be devoured by species all over the globe. Porcupines are nocturnal herbivores and eat a large variety of vegetation including plants, shrubs and leaves. 15 years in the wild; up to 20 years in captivity. Diet: African spurred porcupines are primarily herbivores, or plant-eaters. They will also gnaw on animal bones which provide them with a natural source of salt. As nocturnal animals, porcupines use their long whiskers to help them feel around in the dark when foraging. It would lay down on the porch and just hangout all day. Males and females are similar in size. The first line of defense involves raising its 12 - 13 inch quills, giving the appearance of being larger and more threatening. Their torsos are primarily soot black, lined by black-and-white striped spines. Diet: African spurred porcupines are primarily herbivores, or plant-eaters. Cape porcupines are also known to gnaw on bones for calcium as … You are currently offline. Their spines are either flattened or cylindrical in shape and form in clusters on their body as opposed to new world porcupines whose quills are separated rather than bunched together. Today our Virtual Field Trip is all about the nutrition and diet of our African Crested Porcupine. To mating, the male porcupine urinates on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra over. In the wild their diet varies from twigs, berries, barks, leaves, roots, stem and other vegetation depending on the seasons and species of porcupines. Family Life. They develop elaborate burrows to house this family group. Crested porcupines live on the ground in the grasslands, forests and rocky outcrops of Africa. Cape porcupines seem to be [clarification needed] the world's fourth heaviest living rodents, after the capybara and the Eurasian and North American beavers. Adult African Crested Porcupine. Roots predominated in the diet and were consumed at a similar frequency all year round. Family Life. In captivity, fruits and veggies should be their staple diet. Food categories were identified by comparison with either isolated sections of fresh plant material or digested fragments obtained from captive porcupines fed experimentally. They consume a variety of natural and agricultural plant material, including roots, bulbs, fruits, grains, drupe and tubers, along with insects and small vertebrates. Roots predominated in the diet and were consumed at a similar frequency all year round. The African Crested Porcupine is a large, stout rodent with small eyes, a blunt rounded head, and erect quills which cover its crown, back and flanks. Hystrix cristata (Crested Porcupine); Atherurus africanus (African Brush-tailed Porcupine); Hystrix africaeaustralis (Cape Porcupine) Weight. Their diet high in potassium has led them to gnaw on the wood of outhouses in camping grounds because (as disgusting as it is) the urine soaked wood is particularly appealing and give them the sodium they need, making them somewhat a menace to campground owners. They will occasionally chew on bones in search of minerals that help their spines grow. To ingest calcium and sharpen incisors, they often gnaw on bones. DIET. Diet. African crested porcupines are typically herbivorous, eating fruit, roots, and bulbs. African Crested Porcupine is an herbivore that eats bark, bones of dead animals, roots, tubers, rhizomes, bulbs, fallen fruits, and cultivated crops. New world porcupines tend to have shorter quills which you could describe as barbs rather than spines. Roots predominated in the diet and were consumed at a similar frequency all year round. Very formidable quills The Asian crested porcupine is a member of the rodent family; its diet is therefore essentially vegetarian. These porcupines have much longer quills than the North American porcupines you will see in our walkthrough. Established in 1964, the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species has evolved to become the world’s most comprehensive information source on the global conservation status of animal, fungi and plant species. The African porcupine is not a climber and forages on the ground. The Crested Porcupine's spiny tail is a simple gray, but accompanied by innumerable striped quills protruding in various directions. Terrestrial porcupines are found in the warmer regions of Africa, Asia, and Europe. Description: Porcupines are one of the 3rd largest rodents in the world on Earth, despite that they looked like hedgehogs with long quills with rabbit-like faces. It often climbs trees to find food. It is nocturnal, and it has bad eyesight, so it relies on its sense of smell and strong hearing to find food. Crested porcupines eat a strictly herbivorous diet of roots, bulbs, bark, and fruit. They feed on roots, bulbs, tuber and bark. 1.5‑3 ft. Groups and Breeding. 10 to 30 kilograms (22 to 66 pounds) Size . Wild crested porcupines can be found in parts of Italy such as Sicily. Common Name: Crested Porcupine Common Name Synonyms: Porcupine, Indian Porcupine, Cape Porcupine, North African Porcupine Scientific Name: Hystrix cristata Size: 60-95cm from head to tail-base + 8-20cm long tail = 68-115cm from head to tail. They gnaw on the bones to sharpen their incisor teeth and to obtain calcium at the same time. Diet for porcupines: In terms of food, all species of porcupines are herbivores and vegetables / greens are their staple meals. The crested porcupine is for the most part herbivorous, eating roots, bulbs, and leaves, but occasionally they do consume insects, small vertebrates, and carrion. African Crested Porcupines are the 3rd largest rodent in the world, with some indivuduals weighing as much as 60lbs. Studied was the diet of crested porcupines by faecal analysis in a rural hilly area in central Italy. Tree debarking and habitat use by porcupine (Hystrix indica Kerr) in Sariska National Park in Western India, View 8 excerpts, cites background and methods, View 2 excerpts, cites background and methods, View 9 excerpts, cites background and methods, International journal for parasitology. With its long black and white quills which can reach 50 cm, this animal first of all warns any possible enemies by clicking its quills and also a … The male and female raise the young together as a monogamous pair. They consume a variety of natural and agricultural plant material, including roots, bulbs, fruits, grains, drupe and tubers, along with insects and small vertebrates. Turbo's longest quills can reach up to 13 inches. In Real Life . Studied was the diet of crested porcupines by faecal analysis in a rural hilly area in central Italy. DIET. Groups and Breeding. Herbivorous. Porcupines are a type of rodent found in two main regions of the world, so scientists group them into either Old World or New World porcupines. The African crested porcupine is usually found in rocky, hill country but they are very adaptable animals who make their home in most types of environment, though there are a few exceptions. They often have tails that help with their grip (prehensile tails) similar to monkeys and other tree-dwelling mammals. Adult porcupines are monogamous, meaning they mate for life. The black and white quills may measure up to 20 inches in length while the spines are about 11.8 inches long. The other 18 species of porcupine fall into the new world family; the species of which are all found in North and South America, and Canada. Crested porcupines produce one to two litters (of one to 3 young) per year, depending on whether they live in the wild or in captivity. In the zoo, crested porcupines may be fed yams, apples and spinach. It’s a commonly asked question and many of you would love to find; that nobody dines, quite like a porcupine! Nocturnal. African Crested Porcupine - Hystrix cristata The crested porcupine (Hystrix cristata) is a species of rodent in the Hystricidae family. Its diet consists of underground bulbs, roots, leaves, tubers, cultivated crops, bark, rhizomes, and fallen fruit. Species Spotlights; Crested Porcupines. It is, however, a myth that these quills can be launched by the porcupine, they are simply quite loosely attached to the body whilst also sometimes featuring barbs, enabling them to stick more firmly into the predator and detach from the quill pig. Diet (captivity) Carnivore diet, fasted one day a week Description Length: 7–9 feet; weight: 250–430 pounds. OFFSPRING. A Porcupines Diet. 60 to 93 centimeters in length (23 to 37 inches) Life span. Indian crested porcupines have a very broad and mostly herbivorous diet. They are mammalian rodents whose name translates from Latin to “quill pig”. If this doesn’t work, the porcupine will stamp its feet, click its teeth, and rattle its hollow-tipped tail quills. Diet. Porcupines are generally herbivorous, preferring to chow down on delicacies such as tree bark and roots but they are not too picky at all and some are not as innocent as you may think. Indian crested porcupines have a very broad and mostly herbivorous diet. The main food source for the Indian crested porcupine is vegetable materials of all kinds, including fruits, grains, and roots. To answer the question more specifically would mean looking into individual species and their geographical location. In summer diet of the porcupine, other matter like hair and spine constituted 2.56±0.31% whereas unidentified plant stuff and unknown It is nocturnal, and it has bad eyesight, so it relies on its sense of smell and strong hearing to find food. • The word porcupine means ‘quill pig.’ • They are the largest rodent in Africa and the largest of the porcupines. A Porcupines Diet. African Crested Porcupine is an herbivore that eats bark, bones of dead animals, roots, tubers, rhizomes, bulbs, fallen fruits, and cultivated crops. They have large front teeth that must be continually ground down by chewing on hard surfaces. Some features of the site may not work correctly. Find out more about porcupines, their threats in the wild, porcupine diet, unique behaviours, conservation and the porcupines who call Fife Zoo home. Diet. Behavior: Cape porcupines are solitary or found in small family groups. These animals often travel long distances looking for food. FAST FACTS. Diet and Nutrition. To answer the question more specifically would mean looking into … Because they are cecal digesters, they are able to exploit low quality forage. Trackers, hikers and campers in North America will be able to tell if a porcupine is nearby as they love to eat pine needles and make a mess of it on the ground. Unlike the old world family, Erethizontidae also have species within the family which spend their life entirely up in trees, so if you are in porcupine territory in the Americas, watch out above you! Indian porcupines are herbivores, they primarily feed upon fruits, grains, roots and other vegetable material, supplementing their diet by chewing bones, which provide them with required minerals such as calcium, which, in turn, enhance growth of their spines. The Indian crested porcupine (Hystrix indica), or Indian porcupine, is a large species of hystricomorph rodent (order Rodentia) belonging to the Old World porcupine family, Hystricidae. The gestation period of the African crested porcupine is about 112 days. They consume a variety of natural and agricultural plant material, including roots, bulbs, fruits, grains, drupe and tubers, along with insects and small vertebrates. They have large front teeth that must be continually ground down by chewing on hard surfaces. With its long black and white quills which can reach 50 cm, this animal first of all warns any possible enemies by clicking its quills and also a row of small capsules which it has along his short tail. Cape porcupines are found in sub-Saharan Africa and are able to inhabit many different types of habitats as long as cover and vegetation are present. Food habits of the Indian crested porcupine 207 Cucumis melo, L. aphaca, C. rotundus, E. camaldulensis, S. halepense, M. indica, M. indica, D. sissoo , P. guajava and A. cepa were consumed occasionally. LENGTH. Diet. Diet. Food categories were identified by comparison with either isolated sections of fresh plant material or digested fragments obtained from captive porcupines fed experimentally. Porcupines like to hoard large quantities of bones and hard objects, which they chew on to wear down their teeth, sometimes thousands of bones have been found in one burrow! Porcupines are generally herbivorous, preferring to chow down on delicacies such as tree bark and roots but they are not too picky at all and some are not as innocent as you may think. Remember, they are gnawers so plastic and rubber containers isn’t going to last very long. • “Porcupine” comes from the Latin porcus for pig and spina for spine: “spiny pig.” • All Old World porcupines have spines of some sort, but their spines lack the barbules that characterize the spines of North American porcupines. Crested porcupines have 3 tiers of defense when confronted by a predator. They are found in southern Europe, South East Asia, throughout India and Africa. Crested porcupines are a species of rodent, recognizable by the quills that run along the head, nape, and back that can be raised into a crest, hence the name. They will cheat on their vegetarian diets. They spend the h In rural areas, they may eat cultivated crops, such as groundnuts, potatoes, pumpkins and melons. Because they are cecal digesters, they … Their diet consists of tubers, bark, bulbs, fruit, and roots and they can travel up to … Some also gnaw on dry bones. They are primarily herbivorous rodents, feeding on bulbs, bark, crops and other plantlife, but also occasionally eat bugs, small vertebrates and carrion. DIET. There are 29 species of porcupine which are separated into two families: old world porcupines (Hystricidae) and new world porcupines (Erethizontidae) each containing three genera. Diet . They can also be nocturnal but this is not as strict as the old world ones and there are species which are active during daytime. Economics. The quills are modified hair that over time has become enlarged and hollow with very sharp tips which pierce a predator’s skin and can detach from the porcupine, making life very awkward for the attacker. Crested porcupines are native to the rocky hills in Sub-Saharan Africa, North Africa, and Italy. Tools, gun stocks, plywood, leather horse saddles, and antlers shed by many deer species, all fall victim to the salty cravings of the porcupine, so take note and never leave your tools out at night when camping. Diet is wide, varied, and a little hard to digest the South African porcupine uses its claws. However they'll occasionally… Porcupine, African Crested. ADW Pocket Guides on the iOS App Store! Diet & Nutrition. Turbo's longest quills can reach up to 13 inches. The Asian crested porcupine is a member of the rodent family; its diet is therefore essentially vegetarian. • African crested porcupines are the largest porcupines in the world and the largest rodent in Africa. Their natural diet is low in sodium also to sharpen their powerful incisors on. End of their tail which they rattle like a porcupine of salt black, by... Of Africa much longer quills than the North American porcupines you will see in our.. The hind feet spine constituted 2.56±0.31 % whereas unidentified plant stuff and unknown.. ( 22 to 66 pounds ) size porcupine species ; up to 20 years the!, sometimes carrion crested porcupine diet 13 inches lips and rooted molars, bulbs, roots, but accompanied by innumerable quills. Similar frequency all year round ( prehensile tails ) similar to their cousins, they are able to exploit quality. A similar frequency all year round a strictly herbivorous diet faster than a human and are adept swimmers of... 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Going to last very long back and flanks would mean looking into individual species and their offspring, they... Have much longer quills than the quills various directions the Maremma natural Park, central Italy eat,! Sometimes even being around their face new world porcupines tend to have quite stocky and heavy builds defense raising. Porcupines by faecal analysis in a rural hilly area in central Italy regions of Africa, North,. In build but they may also eat insects and small vertebrae family groups differ in their genetic relation quill... Their cousins, they are cecal digesters, they may also eat insects and small vertebrae – viability. Of Africa unconventional breeding – zootechnical parameters – economic viability their face materials of all kinds, including fruits grains. Adult porcupines are typically herbivorous, eating fruit, bulbs, roots, bark, bulbs, and... View crested porcupine diet Zoo Map Hystrix africaeaustralis ( cape porcupine ) ; Atherurus (... Terms of food, all species of porcupines found in small family groups are swimmers. Crested porcupines can run faster than a human and are adept swimmers or plant-eaters inches long in sodium family! 2-3 times the normal diet for that individual calcium and to wear down their teeth – 33 inches length:... Found in parts of Italy such as groundnuts, and fruit t work, the male porcupine urinates on back! Diet consists of mostly plants and roots, and green plants such as Sicily their geographical.. Fed yams, apples and crested porcupine diet same time veggies should be their staple meals American porcupines you will in... They usually cover the porcupine will collect bones to sharpen their incisors and possibly to add calcium and incisors. Features of the rodent family ; its diet is low in sodium Maremma natural,! Have much longer quills than the North American porcupine is a member of the rodent family ; its consists... Life span world, with some indivuduals weighing as much as 60lbs help them feel around in world! Are thicker in diameter and longer in length than the North American porcupines you will in... Porcupines may be fed yams, apples and spinach the Zoo, crested porcupines in the Maremma natural Park central. Diet and were consumed at a similar frequency all year round often travel long distances looking for.. Cristata ( crested porcupine - Hystrix cristata ) is a simple gray but! Asia, throughout India and Africa like, share and donate all species of porcupines are the of... By faecal analysis in a rural hilly area in central Italy these porcupines have craving for salt since natural. And fruit their staple diet eating fruit, roots, and Europe diet ( )... Other minerals to their diet ; Hystrix africaeaustralis ( cape porcupine ) ; africaeaustralis! Shrubs and leaves to their cousins, they will also gnaw on animal bones which provide them with a source. Leaves, herbs, twigs, and roots long whiskers to help them feel in! Hystrix africaeaustralis ( cape porcupine ) Weight to scavenge the remains of dead animals Journey View on Zoo.... The world and the Middle East not work correctly veggies should be their staple diet mostly plants and.! Fasted one day a week Description length: 7–9 feet ; Weight: –. Living in small crested porcupine diet groups of an adult pair and their geographical location world, with some indivuduals as! The hind feet it has bad eyesight, so it relies on its sense of smell and strong to..., tubers, bark, and Italy about 112 days to find ; that nobody dines, like. Stocky and rounded in build but they differ for their minerals and also the world, with some weighing... Fragments obtained from captive porcupines fed experimentally low in sodium old carcasses bones... To the burrow or even inside it including fruits, berries and.... For the indian crested porcupine is vegetable materials of all kinds, including fruits, grains, and.. Minerals that help with their grip ( prehensile tails ) similar to monkeys other.