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Could a porcupine make a good pet? Do they ever stick themselves or other porcupines with their quills? In this latest addition to the "Animal Answer Guide" series, we learn about these mysterious animals' "pincushion defense," along with the following facts: porcupines survive on a diet of leaves, bark, and fruit; quills are actually modified hairs; there are 26 species of porcupines (and counting); old world and new world porcupines have a common ancestor but evolved independently; and, new world males will gather to fight ferociously over a single female. "Porcupines: The Animal Answer Guide" presents solid, current science in the field of porcupine biology. Uldis Roze compares and contrasts porcupines in terms of body plan, behavior, ecology, reproduction, and evolutionary relationships. He examines the diversity of porcupines from around the world - from North and South America to Africa and Asia. This guide explores the interactions between humans and porcupines, including hunting, use of quills by aboriginal societies, efforts to poison porcupines, and human and pet injuries (and deaths) caused by porcupines.
Roze also highlights the conservation issues that surround some porcupine species, such as the thin-spine porcupine of Brazil, which is so rare that it was thought to be extinct until its rediscovery in the 1980s.
Contents
Acknowledgments
Introduction
1. Introducing Porcupines
What is a porcupine?
How many kinds of porcupines are there?
Who's who among the Old World porcupines?
Who's who among the New World porcupines?
Why are porcupines important?
Why should people care about porcupines?
What is the current classification of porcupines?
What characterizes the major groups of porcupines?
When did porcupines evolve?
Why is the North American porcupine successful?
2. Form and Function of Porcupines
What are the largest and smallest living porcupines?
Can porcupines see color?
Can porcupines swim?
Can porcupines burrow?
What senses are best developed in porcupines?
How do porcupines use their tails?
How many quills does a porcupine have?
Do quills provide good winter insulation?
Does a porcupine throw its quills?
What happens when a quill strikes a predator?
How does a porcupine minimize self-quilling?
How long does it take to replace a lost quill?
How did porcupine quills evolve?
Why are a porcupine's front teeth orange?
Do porcupines have scent glands?
How long does it take for a porcupine to digest a meal?
Do porcupines suffer from old-age diseases?
3. Porcupine Colors
What color are porcupine quills?
Is there a reason for coat color patterns in porcupines?
Do porcupine colors change with age?
How does fur color indicate that a female porcupine is lactating?
Are albino porcupines found in nature?
Why do porcupines glow under a black light?
4. Porcupine Behavior
Are porcupines social?
Do porcupines fight?
Do porcupines bite?
Do porcupines play?
How smart are porcupines?
How do porcupines communicate?
Do porcupines hibernate?
How fast can porcupines run?
How do porcupines climb trees?
Do porcupines fall out of trees?
How can I tell whether a tree is being used as food source by a porcupine?
5. Porcupine Ecology
Which geographic regions have the most porcupine species?
Do porcupines migrate?
Can several porcupine species live together in the samearea?
Are there porcupines in the desert?
How do porcupines survive the winter?
Do porcupines get sick?
How can you tell if a porcupine is sick?
Are porcupines good for the environment?
What are the important porcupine predators?
What possible mutualists live with porcupines?
Do porcupines compete for food with other vertebrate herbivores?
Do porcupines undergo population cycles?
6. Reproduction and Development
How do porcupines reproduce?
Do porcupines always reproduce in the same season?
How is a male porcupine distinguished from a female?
How long are porcupines pregnant?
How is a baby porcupine born?
How many babies do porcupines have?
What is a baby porcupine called?
Do porcupines care for their young?
How long do female porcupines nurse their young?
How fast do porcupines grow?
How can you tell the age of a porcupine?
At what age do porcupines start breeding?
Do female porcupines go through menopause?
How long do porcupines live?
How do individual porcupines differ in reproductive success?
7. Foods and Feeding
What do porcupines eat?
How do porcupines find food?
Do porcupines scavenge?
Do porcupines store food?
Why do porcupines eat clay?
How often do porcupines drink?
8. Porcupines and Humans
Do porcupines make good pets?
Should people feed porcupines?
What should I do if I find an injured porcupine?
What should I do if I find a diseased porcupine?
How can I see porcupines in the wild?
Why are so many porcupines found as roadkills?
9. Porcupine Problems (from a human's viewpoint)
Are some porcupines pests?
Why do porcupines sometimes gnaw the rubber tires of cars?
How can I keep porcupines from my cabin in the woods?
Can there be too many porcupines in a forest?
How can I keep porcupines away from valuable trees?
Are porcupines dangerous to people or pets?
Do porcupines transmit human diseases?
Is it safe to eat porcupines?
How can I remove quills from a pet?
What should I do if I'm injured by a porcupine?
Can porcupines act as invasive species?
10. Human Problems (from a porcupine's viewpoint)
Are any porcupine species endangered?
Will porcupines be affected by global warming?
Why do people hunt and eat porcupines?
Is there a hunting season for porcupines?
What can I do to help porcupines?
11. Porcupines in Stories and Literature
What roles do porcupines play in religion and mythology?
Are there porcupines in fables and folk tales?
What role do porcupines play in native cultures?
How are porcupines featured in poetry and literature?
What king used the porcupine in his royal seal?
What place names feature the porcupine?
12. "Porcupinology"
Who studies porcupines?
Which species are best known?
Which species are least known?
How do scientists tell porcupine species apart?
How can a researcher safely mark a porcupine for identification in the wild?
What don't we know about porcupines?
Appendix A: Porcupines of the World
Appendix B: Worldwide Wildlife Rehabilitation Organizations
Bibliography
Index
