North American Porcupine
(Erethizon dorsatum)
Conservation • Description • Habitat • Ecology • Distribution • Taxonomy
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List
LC - Least Concern
NatureServe
N5 - Secure
SNR - Unranked
Minnesota
not listed
Description
Size
Total length: 24″ to 29″
Tail: 6¼″ to 8¾″
Sign
Similar Species
No similar species
Habitat
Deciduous, coniferous, and mixed forests.
Ecology
Behavior
Lifespan
6 to 18 years
Life Cycle
Food
Distribution |
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Sources Biodiversity occurrence data published by: Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas (accessed through the Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas Portal, bellatlas.umn.edu, 12/17/2025). Timm, R. M. 1975. Distribution, natural history, and parasites of mammals of Cook County, Minnesota. Occasional Papers, Bell Museum of Natural History, University of Minnesota 14:1–56. Hazard, Evan B. 1982. The Mammals of Minnesota. University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis, Minnesota. 280 pp. The counties in light green lack modern records but have historic county or township specimens or records. |
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| 12/17/2025 | ||
Occurrence |
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Common |
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Taxonomy
Class
Subclass
Theria
Infraclass
Placentalia (Placental Mammals)
Magnorder
Boreoeutheria
Superorder
Euarchontoglires (Primates, Rodents, and Allies)
Order
Rodentia (Rodents)
Suborder
Hystricomorpha (Ctenohystricans)
Infraorder
Hystricognathi
Parvorder
Caviomorpha
Superfamily
Erethizontoidea (New World Porcupines)
Family
Erethizontidae (New World Porcupines)
Subfamily
Erethizontinae (Neotropical and North American Porcupines)
Genus
Erethizon
Subordinate Taxa
Alaska Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum myops)
Arizona Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum couesi)
Eastern Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum dorsatum) 
Dusky Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum nigrescens)
Labrador Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum picinum)
Nebraska Yellow-haired Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum bruneri)
North American Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum doani)
Rocky Mountain Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum epixanthum)
Synonyms
Coendou cumberlandicus
Erethizon cloacinum
Erethizon dorsata
Erethizon dorsatus
Erethizon godfreyi
Hystrix dorsata
Common Names
Canadian Porcupine
Common Porcupine
North American Porcupine
Porcupine
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MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos
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Slideshows
Porcupine
Andree Reno Sanborn
North American Porcupine
Victor Fazio
Porcupines (Order Rodentia, Family Erethizonidae)
Don Delaney
Porcupines - Caviidae
Gerry
Visitor Videos
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Other Videos
MyNature Apps; Porcupine Sign, Erethizon dorsatum
MyNatureApps
Mammals of the World: North American Porcupine
cre8ivmind
The North American Porcupine
deepwondermedia
Visitor Sightings
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Steve
6/3/2018
Location: Gull Lake (East side) Crow Wing County
Wandered across lawn at 5PM
Andrea Aubin
12/29/2015
Location: Minnesota Discovery Center – Trolley Barn
Minnesota Seasons Sightings
