Wildlife

Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum)

The porcupine is often known as “porky” or “quill pig”. They are second in size only to beavers among the rodents of Alaska, and their unique pelage makes them unique among the mammals of North America. Porcupines are stout and short-legged averaging 25 to 31 inches long and 15 to 18 pounds.

Porcupines have long, yellowish guard hairs that cover the front half of their bodies, while up to 30,000 quills are interspersed among the dark, coarse guard hairs of the back and tail for each porcupine. These quills typically lie flat until a porcupine is threatened, and then the quills leap to attention as a persuasive deterrent. They are actually modified hairs, barbed spines about 8 centimeters long that can be easily turn into barbs once embedded in another animals' flesh.
Porcupines are not usually aggressive, but they’ve obtained quite a reputation as fierce animals. One false belief that has arisen is that porcupines supposedly have the ability to throw their quills. This is untrue, as at no time could porcupines do this. An animal or person would have to come in actual physical contact with the porcupine to become impaled by quills. (New quills grow in to replace the lost ones.)

Porcupines live 5 to 6 years. They usually have one or two young, which are born with soft quills that harden within an hour. They open eyes about ten days later. Although they begin eating solid food after two weeks, they continue to be nursed for 4 or 5 months.

They are usually solitary and nocturnal animals. During the day, they rest in hollow trees, crevices in rocky bluffs, or underground burrows. Porcupines are herbivorous – strict vegetarians. In the spring they feed on leaves, twigs, and green plants. In winter, they chew through the outer bark of aspen trees to eat the tender layer of tissue below.

Athabascans have treasured the quills as useful tools and for decorative purposes. The beauty of the quills has graced baskets, clothing, and other items for hundreds of years. On any item that is decorated with beads, quills can also be used.

Last updated: August 10, 2010

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