Porky, Prickles and Percy

African Crested Porcupines are rodents, with continually growing front teeth!

The porcupine is nocturnal (prefer night activity) and have lots of quills on their back and sides. They attack predators by backing into them and leaving their quills embedded in them, causing pain or infection.

They live on roots, fruit and leaves and occasional animal carrion. Their teeth, like all rodents, are continually growing, so need wearing down by gnawing.

Porcupines mate (very carefully!) when the female lifts her tail and lowers her spine, so that the male can mount her.

There is pregnancy of 112 days, then 1 or 2 young are born. This can happen at any time of the year.

The young have no spines at birth, but have 5 white stripes down their backs. They leave the nest quickly and their spines begin to form and harden at about a week. They soon begin to eat solid food, and are mature at between 1 and 2 years old.