Hystrix cristata is listed as endangered (Amori and Angelici 1992) and has, at least in Italy, been protected since 1974 (Bruno and Riccardi 1995). Range: Southern Africa. The crested porcupine is found in Italy, North Africa and sub-Saharan Africa. They are believed to have recently gone extinct in the Balkans (Amori and Angelici 1992). Usually, females have only one litter per year (Nowak 1991). Both sexes are about 84 cm in length. On these particular arboreal species, quills on the tail are really hard, tough and also points backwards enabling them to stay and climb on the tree branches. Extensive savannas are found in parts of subtropical and tropical Africa and South America, and in Australia. The females have two to three pair of lateral thoracic mammae (Nowak 1991) and males have no scrotum and the penis points backward in the resting position (Grzimek 1990). Williams, AZ 86046 Family Hystricidae. The North African crested porcupine is nocturnal. The average head and body length of the crested porcupine is 600-930 mm, with a tail length of 80-170 mm (Nowak 1991). 1500 E. Route 66 They are well-developed and are born with open eyes. The Cape porcupine is the largest porcupine in the world, alongside the nearly identical African crested porcupine. Photos with Crested Porcupine Distribution These rodents inhabit forests, rocky and mountainous areas, croplands and sandhill deserts of Italy, Sicily and the Mediterranean coast of Africa … Between one and four young are born in the grass-lined burrow. Individuals may remain in burrows through winter but don't truly hibernate (Nowak 1991). It is collected for human consumption in most parts of its range, both in Europe and Africa, including Italy, North African and West Africa. Except for the Crested and the North American, all other species are from sub-tropical or tropical climate. The quills of crested porcupines serve as an effective defense against predation. Habitat/Range: Cape porcupines are found in sub-Saharan Africa and are able to inhabit many different types of habitats as long as cover and vegetation are present. The Animal Diversity Web team is excited to announce ADW Pocket Guides! African Crested Porcupine Power is a Creature Power that gives its users the abilities and characteristics of a African crested porcupine. The African crested porcupine is the world’s largest species of porcupine. The crested porcupine is widespread in Africa and Italy. African Crested Porcupine Hystrix cristata. Status Least Concern. The crested porcupine (Hystrix cristata) also known as the African crested porcupine, is a species of rodent in the family Hystricidae found in Italy, North Africa, and sub-Saharan Africa. African Crested Porcupine Male. Offspring 1 - 4 Porcupettes A prickly coat of needle-sharp quills is the porcupine's best defense. 1997). Its extensive burrowing is damaging in gardens and other landscaped areas, and run-ins with the porcupines can cause serious illness and injuries to domestic animals and humans. A landowner permit is needed to trap chipmunks, opossums, porcupines, rabbits, raccoons, skunks, tree squirrels and woodchucks in Maryland. The meat of these animals is considered a delicacy, and thus they are illegally hunted (Amori and Angelici 1992). Indian crested porcupine and people: This porcupine species is hunted as a source of food in many cultures, and its voracious appetite for human-grown crops makes it a major threat to agriculture. The crested porcupine (Hystrix cristata) also known as the African crested porcupine, is a species of rodent in the family Hystricidae found in Italy, North Africa, and sub-Saharan Africa. Convergent in birds. They have shorter hind legs with four fingers on the front feet and 5 on the hind feet. The crested porcupine is also known as the African crested porcupine. Hystrix are highly adaptable, found in forests, rocky areas, mountains, croplands, and sandhill deserts (Nowak 1991; Grzimek 1990). The adult crested porcupine has an average h The young leave home for the first time at about two weeks of age, as their quills — soft at birth — begin to harden. They inhabit deserts, grasslands and adjoining forests. Browse 69 crested porcupine stock photos and images available, or search for african crested porcupine to find more great stock photos and pictures. Range. (1995) found that moonlight avoidance was slight and only occurred in open areas (unlike H. indica in which significant moonlight avoidance has been documented). This terrestrial biome includes summits of high mountains, either without vegetation or covered by low, tundra-like vegetation. The African porcupine is not a climber and forages on the ground. Although they are solitary foragers, they often share their burrows. A landowner permit is needed to trap chipmunks, opossums, porcupines, rabbits, raccoons, skunks, tree squirrels and woodchucks in Maryland. These quills typically lie flat but can be raised in defense if the porcupine feels threatened. Weighing in at approximately 30 pounds and others reaching up to 60, they are the 3rd largest rodent in the world. Hystrix africaeaustralis is found only in sub-saharan Africa, excluding the coastal desert of the southwest. African Crested Porcupine Natural History Range & habitat This species is found in the northern coast of Africa south to Tanzania and northern Congo. There are many similarities between the two families, but for this text, we will consider only the African Crested Porcupine. In the Mediterranean, it is known from mainland Italy and the island of Sicily, Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia; they are also recorded in Ghana, Libya and along the Egyptian coast. The social life of H. cristata is based on monogamy and long intensive care of young (Grzimek 1990; Felicioli et al. This is an African Crested Porcupine that seems to be looking for something in its cage. The body is covered with short hair, and back spines are still soft with individual sensing bristles projecting far beyond the spines (Grzimek 1990). Appearance Female porcupines are about one kilogram heavier than males, weighing 10-24 kg and males with a mass of 10-19 kg. 1997). animals that use metabolically generated heat to regulate body temperature independently of ambient temperature. Keywords: Crested porcupine, range expansion, wildlife mapping Introduction Subgenus Hystrix Linnaeus, 1758 includes three spe-cies of large rodents (body weight: 10–15 kg) distrib-uted in the Old World. A grassland with scattered trees or scattered clumps of trees, a type of community intermediate between grassland and forest. In the wild their diet varies from twigs, berries, barks, leaves, roots, stem and other vegetation depending on the seasons and species of porcupines. The African porcupine is the largest rodent in the regions they inhabit. Habitat: Forests, deserts, grasslands, and mountainous regions up to 6,560 feet (2,000 m). Taxon Information Scientific Name Hystrix cristata. They are poached for food and killed because they are considered an agricultural pest (Nowak 1991; Amori and Angelici 1992). Such attacks have been known to kill lions, leopard, hyenas, and humans (Nowak 1991). The common porcupine is a herbivore. It has been recorded from sea level to 2,550 m (8,370 ft) in Moroccan Anti-Atlas. 2 4 42. Range Italy, Sicily, and Northern Africa (as far south as Tanzania and northern Congo) Habitat Forests, rocky areas, savannas, and deserts . Turbo loves to make an appearance at our animal presentations where she educates and entertains. They are native to a small range of habitats in temperate and tropical parts of North America, South America, Asia, Southern Europe and Africa. Contributor Galleries They feed on roots, bulbs, tuber and bark. CLASS Mammalia ORDER Rodentia FAMILY Hystricidae . The soles of paws are naked and have pads (Grzimek 1990), and their gait is plantigrade (Nowak 1991). They range widely but prefer broken veld, occuring throughout southern Africa except in the Namib desert. The African crested porcupine is one of the largest rodents in the world, weighing up to 30 kilograms (kg), and growing nearly up to 1 meter (m) in length. Posted by 2 days ago. A lion with porcupine quills stuck in his face and neck, in South Africa's Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. Burrows are often extensive and used for many years (Nowak 1991). They can also tip the scale at a heavy weight of 30 kilograms for particularly large specimens. Disclaimer: Both species have long, white, stiletto-like quills running the length of their backs that, when raised, make the animals appear at least twice as large as they actually are. Crested porcupine was present in Europe during Late Pleistocene. These stronger quills are generally marked with alternating light and dark bands. Eyes and external ears are very small, with long vibrissae on the head (Nowak 1991; Grzimek 1990). Hys­trix cristata is found in Italy, Sicily, and along the Mediter­ranean coast of … National Science Foundation Hystrix cristata can travel significant distances in search of food (Nowak 1991; Pigozzi and Patterson 1990). The animal's skull morphology is characteristic in several ways: (1) the infraorbital foramen is greatly enlarged so that portions of the masseter extend through it and arise from the frontal side surface of the snout (hystricomorphous condition); (2) the angular process is inflected on the lower jaw; (3) the nasal cavity is enlarged; (4) prominent pockets-like inflations are prominent in the skull, upper jaw and lacrimal and turbinate bones (reasons for such pockets are unknown, however they do create enlarged areas of attachment for chewing muscles and could possibly allow animals to smell undergrond bulbs during dry periods or wet dry inhaled air); (4) shin and calf bones are fused; (5) the collar bone is greatly reduced; and (6) five teeth in each jaw -- one incisor, one premolar and three molars (Grzimek 1990). Whereas, the larger crested porcupine is 60-83 cm long and its body weight is 13-27 kg. Habitat: This species seeks out habitat with rocky outcroppings and hillsides, but may be found at elevations up to 11,480 feet (3,500 meters) where vegetation is abundant. Turbo's longest quills can reach up to 13 inches. The porcupine is identified by its specialized hairs or quills. The black and white quills along the head and back of this spiny mammal can be raised into a crest, hence its common name of crested porcupine. Porcupines African Crested Porcupines Order: rodent. Lutra, 35:44-50. They are tolerant of a range of habitats including mountains, deserts and forests. These are nocturnal animals, so they mostly sleep inside their burrows during the day and forage for food at night. Ge­o­graphic Range. 1992. Diet Bark, roots, tubers, nuts, fruits, insects, and small vertebrates Weight 22 - 66 lbs. Cape porcupines are found in sub-Saharan Africa and are able to inhabit many different types of habitats as long as cover and vegetation are present. ADW doesn't cover all species in the world, nor does it include all the latest scientific information about organisms we describe. Grzimek1s Encyclopedia of Mammals. Let's hope in a good expansion of this species. Characteristics: Cape porcupines are one of the world’s largest porcupine species. Common Name Porcupine. African Crested Porcupine. Hystrix cristata individuals usually reach adult weight at one to two years and are usually sexually mature just before then (Grzimek 1990). A "crest" of spiny hair accentuates the very top of her head, awash in a black-to-white gradient. Newborn weigh only 3% of the mother's body weight. (21.4 kg). It eats leaves, herbs, twigs and green plants like clover and in the winter it may eat bark. Additional support has come from the Marisla Foundation, UM College of Literature, Science, and the Arts, Museum of Zoology, and Information and Technology Services. Range. In addition to humans, enemies include lions, leopards, large birds of prey, and hyenas (Grzimek 1990). Grants DRL 0089283, DRL 0628151, DUE 0633095, DRL 0918590, and DUE 1122742. Ordinarily the quills lay flat. Hystrix cristata females do not show aggression to familiar males, but are aggressive to unknowns (Grzimek 1990). Porcupines. This species is proving to be very adaptable to the varied habitats of it's home range. (1997), no male weight is transferred to the female, no penile lock occurs, and there are multiple intromissions and multiple thrustings. They will dig their own burrows or take over abandoned aardvark burrows. Yet they leave the den for first time after only one week, at which time the spines begin to harden (Grzimek 1990). The animal is characterized by quills along the head, nape, and back that can be raised into a crest, in addition to sturdier quills about 350 mm long along the sides and back half of body generally used for defensive purposes (Nowak 1991). Classification, To cite this page: Porcupine quills are often used as ornaments and talismans (Nowak 1991). Mating occurs only at night, both in and out of the burrow (Felicioli et al. The African crested porcupine is usually found in rocky, hill country but they are very adaptable animals who make their home in most types of environment, though there are a few exceptions. The head, neck, shoulders, limbs and underside of body are covered with coarse, dark brown or black bristles (Nowak 1991). Synapomorphy of the Bilateria. • “Porcupine” comes from the Latin porcus for pig and spina for spine: “spiny pig.” • All Old World porcupines have spines of some sort, but their spines lack the barbules that characterize the spines of North American porcupines. Adult African Crested Porcupine. associates with others of its species; forms social groups. Savannas are grasslands with scattered individual trees that do not form a closed canopy. This material is based upon work supported by the These porcupines have much longer quills than the North American porcupines you will see in our walkthrough. Some scientists say H. cristata was introduced into Italy by the Romans as a game animal, however fossil records indicate their presence back to the Upper Pleistocene (Amori and Angelici 1992). The Cape porcupine is the largest porcupine in the world, alongside the nearly identical African crested porcupine. Acta Theriologica, 35(3-4):173-180. It can grow up to 90 centimeters long and weigh up to 30 kilograms. Crested porcupines have high crowned teeth with plane chewing surfaces for grinding plant cells that are then digested in the stomach (Grzimek 1990). These are a defense mechanism against predators like African lions or hyenas. It is mostly nocturnal but will sometimes forage for food in the day. There are two families or porcupines, Hystricidae (Old World Porcupines) and Erethizontidae (New World Porcupines). Although they have been found at altitudes of 11,480 feet on Mount Kilimanjaro, they are not found in dry, empty deserts or damp forests. Diet Herbivore. Hystrix cristata is found in Italy, Sicily, and along the Mediterranean coast of Africa to northern Zaire and Tanzania (Nowak 1991; Amori and Angelici 1992). 1991. These quills broaden at the terminal end and this section is hollow and thin walled, so a hisslike rattle is produced by their vibration (Nowak 1991). The Old World porcupines belong to the infraorder Hystricognathi of the … They range from 25 to 30 inches long and can weigh more than 40 pounds. Topics To bear young, females often establish a separate den (Nowak 1991). Cape porcupines measure 63 to 81 centimetres (25 to 32 inches) long from the head to the base of the tail, with the tail adding a further 11–20 centimetres (4.3–7.9 inches). They live in deserts, rocky outcrops, forests and hillsides. McGraw-Hill, New York. 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