North American porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum)

Kingdom	Animalia
Phylum	Chordata
Class	Mammalia
Order	Rodentia
Family	Erethizontidae
Genus	Erethizon (1)

Top facts

• The North American porcupine has the most northerly range of all porcupines
• After the beaver the the North Amerincan porcupine is the second largest rodent in North America
• Even with their formidable spiny defence the North American porcupine is preyed upon successfully by several predators including mountain lions and fishers
• The plant-based diet of the North American porcupine changes through the year due to fluctuations in toxin levels present in their food

Classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List (1).

Information on the North American porcupine is currently being researched and written and will appear here shortly.

This information is awaiting authentication by a species expert, and will be updated as soon as possible. If you are able to help please contact:
arkive@wildscreen.org.uk

1. IUCN Red List (September, 2010)
   http://www.iucnredlist.org