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Porcupine
Porcupine / Yukon Government Photo / R Postma
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The Species: Erethizon Dorsatum
The literal translation of the porcupine's scientific name is "irritable back" -- an apt description of this rodent's distinctive feature. About 30,000 quills cover the back of the porcupine, a formidable defense against predators. This bow legged, pigeon-toed tree climber isn't considered overly bright, yet it is one of the most independent and self-sufficient animals found in boreal forests.
Distribution
The porcupine is found throughout the Yukon but is most numerous in the northern and central parts of the territory. North of the Arctic Circle, the porcupine's range is limited to forested river valleys, extending to the Arctic coast.
Characteristics
The porcupine is the second largest rodent in the Yukon, next to the beaver. At best the porcupine is capable of a slow, lumbering gallop. Instead of speed, it relies on its quills for defense. Most quills are hidden in the porcupine's long, yellow-tipped hair and usually lie close to its body. Quills are not thrown at attackers. When threatened, the porcupine arches its back and draws its quills erect, ready for action. The quills dislodge easily when the porcupine thrashes its club-like tail. Lost quills are replaced during the annual molt.
Quills aren't poisonous but can still be deadly. Each has about a dozen small barbs. Once implanted in an attacker's flesh, the barbs swell from the surrounding skin moisture, forcing the quill in deeper. Death can occur if an infection sets in or the victim can't swallow water or food.
The porcupine is a skilled tree-climber thanks to its long, curved claws and its tail, which it uses as a prop. Swimming is another talent. The porcupine has a keen sense of smell and touch. Its eyesight is poor, however.
The porcupine is usually quiet, but when it is vocal it can make a wide variety of sounds -- from cooing and whining all the way to screeching.
Life History
Birth takes place in May or June, with a pair of porcupines producing just one offspring annually. Thanks to its seven month gestation, the porcupine is quite well developed at birth. It already has quills, although they are soft -- luckily for its mother! The quills harden after a few hours of exposure to the air, ensuring the newborn has adequate protection against predators.
Occasionally several porcupine families will den together until the end of July. Dens are commonly found in caves, the hollows among tree roots, or in other natural cavities. The porcupine tends to live a solitary existence except at mating time in November and December.
Because of its quills, mating is a tricky process. A male serenades a female with grunts and low humming, an overture that's often rejected with loud squeals. If the female is ready to breed however, the two approach each other in a "love dance", standing on their hind feet while whining and grunting. The pair will place paws on each other's shoulders, rub noses and, quite frequently, belt each other to the point of knocking the other one down. During mating, the porcupine relaxes so its quills stay close to the body and out of harm's way.
The porcupine has well-developed incisors that allow it to feed on forbs, shrubs and trees, as well as chew antlers and bones for their mineral content. It stays active during the winter, switching to the bark and the nutritious cambium layer of spruce and pine trees for the bulk of its diet. The porcupine tends to rest during the day -- usually up high in a tree -- and feed at night.
The porcupine has an average life expectancy of nine to ten years, thanks to its strong defenses. There are animals which have learned the trick of killing the porcupine, however. The wolverine and the fisher prey on Yukon porcupines with little damage to themselves. Like the porcupine, they are excellent tree climbers. They either tackle the porcupine while it is treed or get a paw under the animal and flip it onto its back, exposing its defenseless underbelly.
Porcupine and People
In the past, the inland Tlingit people considered the porcupine a "special friend" of the beaver, although it was "really dumb" in comparison. Quills are still used to make earrings and to decorate moccasins, jackets, baskets and boxes. Many people find porcupine meat tasty -- and it makes a good emergency meal because the animal is so easy to catch.
The porcupine is considered a pest in British Columbia because of the damage it inflicts on forests. Its craving for salt and love of wood leads the porcupine to destroy unlikely objects, such as plywood outhouses, trappers' cabins, axe handles and even tires "perfumed" by dogs. The porcupine often makes its den in a culvert during the wintertime, when snow makes movement difficult.
Viewing Opportunities
The porcupine is easy to observe as it is slow to move away from approaching humans. As it retreats, it may even climb a tree, where it can be viewed at leisure.
Since porcupines like to feed on the grass and succulent vegetation growing along roadsides, and sometimes sun themselves on the road itself, they are familiar sight to motorists. In fact, many are killed by passing vehicles. In winter, porcupines are attracted to the salt used on roads.
Dogs darting into the bush, while their masters stick to the trail, often find a porcupine -- much to their discomfort. Canoeists should take care with their sweat-covered wooden paddles. After all, to a porcupine they're tasty midnight snack!