Wildlife Guide · Africa & Asia

Porcupine

Hystricidae (Old World) & Erethizontidae (New World)

The world's prickliest rodents, armoured head to tail in detachable quills.

Varies by species; most Least Concern (IUCN)

A porcupine with its back covered in long black-and-white quills, foraging on the ground at the edge of woodland.

Image: Source: Global Animal Guide (WARN) — verify license before production

In brief

A porcupine is a large herbivorous rodent covered in sharp quills — stiffened, modified hairs that defend it from predators. About 30 species exist in two distantly related families: Old World porcupines of Africa, Asia and Europe, and tree-climbing New World porcupines of the Americas.

By the WARN Research & Conservation TeamChecked against IUCN Red List & CITES sourcesLast updated June 2026

Porcupines are large, slow-moving rodents famous for their coat of sharp quills — stiffened, modified hairs that defend them against almost any predator. There are around 30 species, split into two only distantly related families: the Old World porcupines (Hystricidae) of Africa, Asia and southern Europe, which are mostly ground-dwelling, and the New World porcupines (Erethizontidae) of the Americas, many of which climb trees. Despite the resemblance, the two groups evolved their quills independently. Contrary to a stubborn myth, porcupines cannot shoot or throw their quills; the barbed spines simply detach on contact. Most species are common and classed as Least Concern, though several are hunted or traded.

~30

species worldwide

distinct families (Old & New World)

30,000+

quills on a North American porcupine

quills they can actually throw

Figures sourced from Porcupine — Wikipedia, Porcupine — Encyclopaedia Britannica, Old World porcupines (Hystricidae) — Wikipedia and other references on this page.

Porcupine: Quick Facts

Vital statistics and key facts about the Porcupine
Common name	Porcupine
Group	Rodents (two distinct families)
Number of species	Around 30
Distribution	Africa, Asia, southern Europe, the Americas
Habitat	Forest, savanna, desert, woodland, mountains
Diet	Herbivore: bark, roots, leaves, fruit, crops
Defence	Sharp, detachable quills (modified hairs)
Activity	Mostly nocturnal and solitary
Can throw quills?	No — they detach on contact only
IUCN status	Varies; most species Least Concern

Scientific Classification

Scientific classification of the Porcupine
Kingdom	Animalia
Phylum	Chordata
Class	Mammalia
Order	Rodentia
Suborder	Hystricomorpha
Families	Hystricidae (Old World); Erethizontidae (New World)
Species	~30 across both families

Conservation Status

IUCN Status: Conservation status varies by species. The majority of the roughly 30 porcupine species are assessed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List with stable populations, reflecting their adaptability, broad diet and effective defences. Some species face localised pressure from hunting for meat and quills, the pet and ornamental trade, and crop-protection killing, and a number are listed under CITES to regulate international trade.
Population: No global total; most species are common and not individually counted
Trend: Stable for most species; some local declines from hunting and habitat loss
Assessed: Assessments vary by species (IUCN Red List, ongoing)
CITES: Several species listed on CITES appendices to regulate trade

Because porcupines comprise around 30 species in two families, there is no single conservation figure — status must be read species by species via the IUCN Red List.

Key Facts: Porcupine

Porcupines are rodents — the world's third-largest by body size after capybaras and beavers in some regions — defended by sharp quills.
Quills are modified hairs that detach on contact; porcupines cannot shoot or throw them.
The roughly 30 species fall into two families that evolved quills independently: Old World (Hystricidae) and New World (Erethizontidae).
Old World porcupines are mainly ground-dwellers; many New World species climb trees.
Most porcupines are herbivores, eating bark, roots, leaves, fruit and buds.
Most species are Least Concern, but some are hunted for meat or quills and a few are CITES-listed.

What are porcupines and how many species are there?

Porcupines are herbivorous rodents instantly recognised by their armour of quills. They belong to two separate families totalling roughly 30 species. The Old World porcupines (family Hystricidae) live across Africa, Asia and parts of southern Europe and Italy; they include the large crested porcupines, whose dramatic black-and-white quills can exceed 30 centimetres. Most are terrestrial, sheltering in burrows or rock crevices and foraging at night. The New World porcupines (family Erethizontidae) are found from northern Canada to South America and include the North American porcupine and the prehensile-tailed porcupines, many of which are skilled climbers that feed and nest in trees. Although the two families look alike, they are only distantly related within the rodent order; their quills are a striking example of convergent evolution, where similar defences arose independently. Porcupines are among the largest rodents — a big crested porcupine can weigh well over 10 kilograms — making their spiny defence all the more important against lions, leopards and other predators.

How do porcupine quills work — and can they be thrown?

A quill is simply a hair that has become stiff, sharp and often barbed. A single North American porcupine may carry tens of thousands of them, lying flat until the animal is threatened. When alarmed, a porcupine raises its quills, turns its back, and may stamp, chatter or reverse rapidly into an attacker. Crucially, porcupines cannot shoot or throw their quills — this is a long-standing myth. Instead, the quills are loosely attached and detach easily on contact, lodging in the skin of whatever touches them. In many New World species the quill tips bear microscopic backward-facing barbs that make them painful and difficult to remove and help them work inwards over time. The defence is highly effective: predators that tangle with a porcupine can be left with a face full of spines, sometimes with fatal consequences. Lost quills regrow, much like ordinary hair. Porcupines themselves are largely immune to their own spines, and some research suggests a natural antibiotic coating on the quills may reduce infection from accidental self-pricks.

Where do porcupines live and what do they eat?

Porcupines occupy an enormous range of habitats, from tropical rainforest and savanna to deserts, temperate woodland and cold northern forests. Old World species are widespread across Africa and southern Asia, with the crested porcupine reaching as far as Italy. New World species range from the Arctic treeline of Canada down through Central and South America. Most are nocturnal and solitary, though some shelter or feed in loose groups. The diet is overwhelmingly plant-based: bark, twigs, roots, bulbs, leaves, buds, fruit and crops. North American porcupines are well known for gnawing tree bark in winter, occasionally girdling and killing trees, and they crave salt — sometimes chewing tool handles, plywood or vehicle parts for the sodium. Old World porcupines often gnaw bones and shed antlers, which sharpen their ever-growing incisors and supply minerals. Because they raid gardens, plantations and farmland, porcupines can come into conflict with people, which in some regions adds to hunting pressure.

Are porcupines endangered?

As a group, porcupines are not endangered, and the majority of species are assessed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, with stable populations. They are adaptable, breed steadily and have few natural predators thanks to their defences. However, conservation status varies considerably between species. Some porcupines are hunted heavily for bushmeat, for their quills, or because they damage crops, and certain species are caught for the pet and ornamental trade. A number of porcupines are listed on the appendices of CITES, the international convention regulating wildlife trade, to keep that trade sustainable. Localised declines occur where forests are cleared or hunting is intense, and a few less-studied species are considered data-poor. Overall, though, porcupines remain a conservation success story compared with many large mammals — a reminder that effective natural defences, broad diets and flexible habitat use help species persist alongside people, provided hunting and habitat loss are kept in check.

What WARN Does

WARN does not run field projects specifically for porcupines — most species live outside the countries where our partners work and are not globally threatened. This guide is part of our free educational work to help people understand the world's wildlife. The same pressures that affect some porcupines, especially habitat loss and unsustainable hunting, also threaten the animals WARN does protect, so building public understanding of all species supports our wider mission.

If you value clear, science-based wildlife guides like this one, a small gift helps us keep them free and continue caring for the animals in our partner countries.

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Porcupine: Frequently Asked Questions

Can porcupines shoot or throw their quills?

No. The idea that porcupines fire their quills like arrows is a myth. Quills are loosely attached, modified hairs that detach on contact. When threatened, a porcupine raises its quills, turns its back and may reverse into an attacker, leaving spines embedded in whatever touches it. They cannot launch quills through the air at a distance.

Are porcupines rodents?

Yes. Porcupines are rodents, the same order as rats, mice, beavers and capybaras. They are among the larger rodents — a big Old World crested porcupine can weigh more than 10 kilograms. Their gnawing, ever-growing incisors are a classic rodent trait, used on bark, roots, bones and antlers to wear the teeth down.

What is the difference between Old World and New World porcupines?

They are two distinct families that evolved quills independently. Old World porcupines (Hystricidae) live in Africa, Asia and southern Europe, are mostly ground-dwelling and tend to be large with long quills. New World porcupines (Erethizontidae) live in the Americas, are generally smaller, and many are skilled tree-climbers, some with a prehensile tail for gripping branches.

What do porcupines eat?

Porcupines are herbivores. They eat bark, twigs, roots, bulbs, leaves, buds, fruit and farm crops. North American porcupines gnaw tree bark in winter and crave salt, sometimes chewing salty objects for sodium. Old World species often gnaw bones and shed antlers for minerals and to sharpen their continually growing incisor teeth.

Do porcupine quills grow back?

Yes. Quills are modified hairs, so lost or detached quills regrow over time, much like ordinary fur regrowing after shedding. A North American porcupine may carry tens of thousands of quills, and gaps left after an encounter with a predator gradually fill in again as new quills develop from the skin.

Are porcupines dangerous to humans or pets?

Porcupines are not aggressive and prefer to flee or hide. The danger is to curious dogs or predators that get a faceful of barbed quills, which are painful and hard to remove and may need veterinary care. Porcupines do not attack people; injuries almost always come from touching or pouncing on the animal.

Where do porcupines live?

Porcupines live in Africa, Asia, southern Europe, the Americas. A porcupine is a large herbivorous rodent covered in sharp quills — stiffened, modified hairs that defend it from predators. About 30 species exist in two distantly related families: Old World porcupines of Africa, Asia and Europe, and tree-climbing New World porcupines of the Americas.

How long do porcupines live?

A precise wild lifespan for porcupines is not firmly established in the sources cited on this guide. A porcupine is a large herbivorous rodent covered in sharp quills — stiffened, modified hairs that defend it from predators. Where longevity figures appear in the literature they vary by region, sex and whether animals are wild or captive.

How big is a porcupine?

Sources & References

Population figures, conservation status and biological facts on this page are drawn from authoritative scientific and intergovernmental sources.

Terms used on this page

Plain-English definitions, from our wildlife and conservation glossary.

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