{"id":42323,"date":"2022-10-27T11:25:44","date_gmt":"2022-10-27T09:25:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/parcsaintecroix.com\/?post_type=animal&p=42323"},"modified":"2026-06-03T15:25:45","modified_gmt":"2026-06-03T13:25:45","slug":"american-porcupine","status":"publish","type":"animal","link":"https:\/\/parcsaintecroix.com\/en\/animals\/american-porcupine","title":{"rendered":"American porcupine"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Homepage<\/a><\/span> American porcupine<\/span><\/span> <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div> <\/div>\n\n
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American porcupine<\/h1>\n \n \n\n

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The animal with the itchy back<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Commonly known as the \u201ccoquau bear\u201d\u2014a surprising name for a rodent\u2014its scientific name, Erzethizon dorsatum, can be translated as \u201cthe animal with the prickly back.\u201d As for the term \u201cporc-\u00e9pic,\u201d derived from Old French, it means \u201cspiny pig\u201d\u2026 It is the only mammal in North America covered in quills\u2014nearly 30,000 of them\u2014which helps keep its enemies at bay! With a rather stocky build, this remarkable animal is the second-largest rodent on the continent, after the beaver.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Solitary and nocturnal by nature, it does not hibernate and is most active at dawn and dusk. Its highly unique lifestyle adapts to the seasons: in winter, it leads a primarily arboreal life, feeding on bark; in the warmer months, it becomes more terrestrial, feeding on understory plants.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n

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IUCN status<\/h2>\n \n

The International Union for Conservation of Nature\u2019s Red List of Threatened Species (IUCN)<\/p>\n <\/div>\n\n

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\n NA<\/span>\n <\/p>\n

No evaluated<\/p>\n <\/div>\n

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\n DD<\/span>\n <\/p>\n

Data deficient<\/p>\n <\/div>\n

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\n LC<\/span>\n <\/p>\n

Least Concern<\/p>\n <\/div>\n

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\n NT<\/span>\n <\/p>\n

Near threatened<\/p>\n <\/div>\n

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\n VU<\/span>\n <\/p>\n

Vulnerable<\/p>\n <\/div>\n

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\n EN<\/span>\n <\/p>\n

Endangered<\/p>\n <\/div>\n

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\n CR<\/span>\n <\/p>\n

Critically endangered<\/p>\n <\/div>\n

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\n EW<\/span>\n <\/p>\n

Extinct in the wild<\/p>\n <\/div>\n

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\n EX<\/span>\n <\/p>\n

Extinct<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n \n \n \n <\/path>\n <\/clipPath>\n <\/defs>\n<\/svg> \n \n \n <\/path>\n <\/clipPath>\n <\/defs>\n<\/svg><\/section>\n\n\n\n
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Description<\/h2>\n \n

Erethizon dorsatum<\/p>\n \n

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\n Family<\/span>\n

Erethuzintidae<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n

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\n Weight<\/span>\n

4 to 10kg<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n

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64 to 98cm<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n

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Forests, tundra, North American desert<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n

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\n Status<\/span>\n

Least Concern<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n

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\n Lifespan<\/span>\n

18 year<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n

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Did you know?<\/strong><\/h2>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n <\/section>\n\n
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Porcupines have a strong preference for minerals, especially calcium and sodium. This sometimes leads them to venture into populated areas where they can easily find salt, in the form of sweat or human urine\u2026<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n <\/section>\n\n

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Food<\/strong><\/h2>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n <\/section>\n\n
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It feeds on roots, leaves, bulbs, tree bark, as well as fruits and berries.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n <\/section>\n\n\n

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\n \n <\/g><\/svg><\/span>\n Afficher tout<\/span>\n View all photos<\/span>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n
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\n \"\"<\/picture> <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":9644,"template":"","animal_family":[329],"animal_univers":[330],"animal_others":[],"class_list":["post-42323","animal","type-animal","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nAmerican porcupine | Parc Animalier Sainte-Croix<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Commonly known as the \u201ccoquau bear,\u201d its scientific name can be translated as \u201cthe animal with the itchy back.\u201d\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/parcsaintecroix.com\/en\/animals\/american-porcupine\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"American porcupine | Parc Animalier Sainte-Croix\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" 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