North American Porcupine Erethizon dorsatum

The North American Porcupine, also called Common or Canadian, is a large, tree-climbing rodent native to Canada, northern and western USA and northwestern Mexico.

The name porcupine means pig with spines. When under threat from a perceived predator, they raise their quills which are mostly hidden under their dense fur. If the quills, when raised, are touched by another animal they detach and the needle-sharp quills with pull-resistant backward barbs are difficult for the victim to dislodge.

Porcupines have even been known to stab themselves with their quills (such as when falling out of a tree) and have an antibiotic substance on their skin to reduce infection from injury.

The North American Porcupine is the only species in its genus. The smaller, lighter-weight South American Tree Porcupines with prehensile tails are in a different genus. The ground-dwelling African/Eurasian porcupines are a totally different family of rodents.