North American Porcupine

Question 1

What are the two alternate names for the North american porcupine?

Answer 1

Common porcupine, Canadian porcupine

Question 2

When did the ancestors of the North American porcupine travel from Brazil to North America?

Answer 2

3 million years ago

Question 3

What is the name of the important zoological event where the isthmus of Panama became a land bridge between North and South America and resulted in many species traveling between the two continents and when did it occur?

Answer 3

The Great American Interchange occurred 3 million years ago

Question 4

What epoch did the great American interchange occur during?

Answer 4

Pilocene.

Question 5

What is the range and habitat of the North American porcupine?

Answer 5

It is found throughout the North American continent in coniferous forests, mixed forests, tundra, shrubland, and desert.

Question 6

Where do North American porcupines make their dens?

Answer 6

In trees or rocks.

Question 7

Where does the porcupine’s name come from?

Answer 7

The French word “Porcepin”, which means “spiny pig”

Question 8

What does the scientific name of the porcupine mean roughly translated?

Answer 8

The animal with the irritating back

Question 9

True or false? There were other ancient porcupines in North America, but the North American porcupine was the only one that survived.

Answer 9

True.

Question 10

How many subspecies are there of the North American porcupine?

Answer 10

Seven.

Question 11

How long can North American porcupines get?

Answer 11

3 feet long

Question 12

How much does the average North American porcupine weigh?

Answer 12

20 pounds

Question 13

How many quills does the North American porcupine have?

Answer 13

30,000

Question 14

True or false? Porcupines throw their quills.

Answer 14

False, but the quills do detach very easily and are hard to remove.

Question 15

Out of the more than 1000 tree species in its native range, how many will the North American porcupine feed on?

Answer 15

2

Question 16

True or false? Porcupines have good eyesight.

Answer 16

False. they are extremely nearsighted.

Question 17

How has a picky diet made North American porcupines intelligent?

Answer 17

It has allowed them to memorize complex mazes and navigate them hundreds of days later to find food.

Question 18

Why are North American porcupines the only American mammals with antibiotics in their skin?

Answer 18

They often fall out of trees reaching for buds at the ends of branches and stab themselves with their own quills.

Question 19

What do North American porcupines eat?

Answer 19

Twigs, leaves, bark, berries, and vegetation.

Question 20

When are North American porcupines active and where do they spend the rest of their time?

Answer 20

They are mostly nocturnal and spend most of the day in trees.

Question 21

North American porcupines do not hibernate. what do they do in winter?

Answer 21

They sleep a lot and stay close to their dens.

Question 22

Are North American porcupines solitary? Why?

Answer 22

Yes they are solitary. They have no need for herds because of the strength of their defense.

Question 23

When do the quills of a newborn porcupine harden?

Answer 23

A few hours after birth.

Question 24

How do porcupines mate?

Answer 24

They tighten their skin and hold their quills flat.

Question 25

Why are porcupines sometimes considered a pest?

Answer 25

they love to chew on wood and leather.

Question 26

Why is plywood likely to be chewed by porcupines?

Answer 26

Salts are added during production.

Question 27

What did Native Americans use porcupines for?

Answer 27

Weaving, decoration, and food.

Question 28

How do predators attack a porcupine?

Answer 28

They stun them and flip them over.

Question 29

What is the most efficient porcupine predator?

Answer 29

The male fisher.

Question 30

What is the first thing the North American porcupine will try to do when threatened?

Answer 30

Climb a tree.