A single animal may have 30,000 or more quills. It could take up to six months to determine a prehensile-tailed porcupine's sex, because its sexual organs are internal. The North American porcupine is the only species that lives in the U.S. and Canada, and is the largest of all porcupines. The North American porcupine is a rodent. They spend much of their time in the tree canopy, and are very vocal animals with a wide variety of calls. Instead, Zoo scientists use the innovative technique of analyzing DNA extracted from a quill to rapidly determine the sex. The most recognizable feature of the porcupine is its quills. The North American porcupine uses its tail and the hairless soles of its feet to help it climb trees. The North American Porcupine averages 3.5 feet in length, including a 6-inch tail, and can weigh up to 40 pounds. North American Porcupines have a height of 12.6”-16.5” (32-42 cm), body length between 23.6”-35.4” (60-90 cm), and an overall weight in the range of 20-40 lb (9-18 kg). Other new world porcupines include the Brazilian porcupine ( Coendou prehensilis ), and the Mexican hairy dwarf porcupine ( Coendou mexicanus ). The porcupine is a blackish, quill-armored, slow-moving rodent with an appetite for tree bark and salt. Porcupines are usually dark brown or black in color, with white highlights. The feet have a naked sole with 4 toes on the front feet and 5 toes on the hind feet. Approximately 30 weeks after mating, the female gives birth usually to one baby. The family currently consists of around 18 species. It's muscular body is covered with up to 30,000 long, hollow and pointed quills. These porcupines use their prehensile tail to grasp! The North American Porcupine is best known for and made distinguishable by its spiny quills that cover its body. The upper body is covered with sharp quills nestled among long, thick fur ranging down the tail. North American Porcupines have a height of 12.6”-16.5” (32-42 cm), body length between 23.6”-35.4” (60-90 cm), and an overall weight in the range of 20-40 lb (9-18 kg). The North American porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) is the largest species in the family, usually weighing less than 7 kg (15.4 pounds) though males occasionally grow significantly larger. Its body is up to 80 cm (31 inches) long, with a tail up to 30 cm. While it doesn’t occur in all parts of Pennsylvania, the porcupine is one of our best-known and most easily identified wild animals. Half of the weight of the tail is composed of muscle. They have a stocky body, a small face, short legs, and a short, thick tail.This species is the largest of the New World porcupines and is one of the largest North American rodents, second only to the American beaver in size. It has a round body, small ears and a small head. It has black to brownish-yellow fur and strong, short legs. The North American porcupine is one of the world's most recognizable animals because of it's … They have a chunky body, a small face, short legs, and a short thick tail.This species is the largest of the New World porcupines and is one of the largest North American rodents, second only to the American beaver in size. The underside is covered with long, dark fur. It has hairless soles on its feet that help it climb trees. Porcupines are usually dark brown or black in color, with white highlights. A porcupine … The North American porcupine is a member of the family Erethizontidae, a diverse group of rodents otherwise known as “New World porcupines”. The porcupine is a large, round, slow-moving rodent with a spectacular means of defense. The North American porcupine is one of the largest rodents found in North America, coming second to the North America beaver. They have long spiny barbed hairs or quills. 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