North American porcupine

(Erethizon dorsatum)

Conservation Status
North American porcupine
 
  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.

 
     
 
Biology
 
 

Behavior

 
 

 

 
     
 

Lifespan

 
 

6 to 18 years

 
     
 

Life Cycle

 
 

 

 
     
 

Food

 
 

 

 
     
 
Distribution
 
 

Distribution Map

 

Sources

4, 7, 29, 30, 76.

 
  8/22/2022      
         
 

Occurrence

 
 

Common

 
         
 
Taxonomy
 
  Class Mammalia (mammals)  
  Subclass Theria  
  Infraclass Eutheria (placental mammals)  
  Magnorder Boreoeutheria  
  Superorder Euarchontoglires (primates, rodents, and allies)  
  Order Rodentiia (rodents)  
  Suborder Hystricomorpha  
 

Infraorder

Hystricognathi  
  Superfamily Erethizontoidea (New World porcupines)  
  Family Erethizontidae (New World porcupines)  
 

Subfamily

Erethizontinae (Neotropical and New World porcupines)  
 

Genus

Erethizon (New World porcupines)  
       
 

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

 
 

Erethizon dorsata

Erethizon dorsatus

Hystrix dorsata

 
       
 

Common Names

 
 

Canadian porcupine

common porcupine

North American porcupine

porcupine

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
Visitor Photos
 
           
 

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MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos
 
    North American porcupine      

 

Camera

     
 
Slideshows
 
  Porcupine
Andree Reno Sanborn
 
  Porcupine  
  North American Porcupine
Victor Fazio
 
  North American Porcupine  
  Porcupines (Order Rodentia, Family Erethizonidae)
Don Delaney
 
  Porcupines (Order Rodentia, Family Erethizonidae)  
  Porcupines - Caviidae
Gerry
 
  Porcupines - Caviidae  

 

slideshow

       
 
Visitor Videos
 
       
 

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Other Videos
 
  MyNature Apps; Porcupine Sign, Erethizon dorsatum
MyNatureApps
 
   
 
About

Uploaded on May 7, 2011

Identifying Porcupine Sign including girdled trees, den site and scat. .www.mynatureapps.com

   
  Mammals of the World: North American Porcupine
cre8ivmind
 
   
 
About

Uploaded on Dec 28, 2010

The North American Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) is the 87th species in my Mammals of the World series.

   
  The north American Porcupine
deepwondermedia
 
   
 
About

Uploaded on Feb 6, 2008

The North American Porcupine in its habitat. How a porcupine will defend its self from an attacker.

   

 

Camcorder

 
 
Visitor Sightings
 
           
 

Report a sighting of this mammal.

 
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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

 

 
           
 
MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings
 
   

 

 

Binoculars


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