Porcupine
Erethizon dorsatum

This robust rodent usually weighs around 22 pounds. It is covered in as many as 30,000 quills, which are 1-2.5 inches in length and set with tiny, scale-like barbs. The porcupine uses its quills for defense, but cannot shoot its quills. When a predator approaches, the porcupine will turn its back, raise the quills and lash out at the threat with its tail. If the porcupine hits an animal with its quills, the quills become embedded in the animal. Body heat makes the barbs expand and they become even more deeply embedded in the animal's skin. If an animal is hit in a vital place it may die. The porcupine is not an aggressive animal, but will attack if it is threatened. The common porcupine can be found in most of Canada, the western United States south to Mexico, and in the eastern United States can be found in Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, New York and New England. The common porcupine lives in coniferous, deciduous and mixed forests, and in the west, can be found in scrubby areas. The common porcupine is an herbivore, eating leaves, twigs and green plants like skunk cabbage and clover. In the winter, it may eat bark and often climbs trees to find food. It is mostly nocturnal, but will sometimes forage for food in the day. It is a very vocal animal and has a wide-variety of calls including moans, grunts, coughs, wails, whines, shrieks and tooth clicking. (The animal pictured in the ad to the right is a baby porcupine, accounting for its small size.)

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