Porcupine

A rodent wearing 30,000 sharp reminders to keep your distance/Small Animals

Porcupines are large rodents covered in sharp quills that serve as their primary defense against predators. The African crested porcupine, the largest Old World species, can have quills up to 35 cm long. Contrary to myth, porcupines cannot shoot their quills, but the quills detach easily on contact and have barbed tips that make them difficult to remove. There are about 58 species divided into Old World and New World families. They are herbivores with a fondness for bark, and some species are excellent climbers.