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Most of what is known about reproduction in the crested porcupine comes from individuals in captivity. Usually, female crested porcupines have one litter every year. One or two well developed young are born in a chamber within the burrow that is usually lined with grass, after on average a 66-day gestation period. The young weigh about 1,000 g ...
The Indian crested porcupine has a stocky build with a low surface area to volume ratio, which aids in heat conservation. [7] It has broad feet with long claws used for burrowing. [2] Like all porcupines, the Indian crested porcupine has a good sense of smell and sharp, chisel-like incisors. [4]
Hystrix is a genus of porcupines containing most of the Old World porcupines. Fossils belonging to the genus date back to the late Miocene of Africa. [1] Hystrix (from Ancient Greek ὕστριξ (hústrix, “porcupine”) was given name by the 18th-century Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus.
Porcupine guard hair headdress made by native peoples from Sonora displayed at the Museo de Arte Popular in Mexico City. Porcupines are seldom eaten in Western culture but are eaten often in Southeast Asia, particularly Vietnam, where the prominent use of them as a food source has contributed to declines in porcupine populations. [19] [20] [21]
The crested porcupine (Hystrix cristata), a typical representative of the Old World porcupines, occurs throughout the south of Europe and North and West Africa. It is replaced in southern and central Africa by the Cape porcupine, H. africaeaustralis, and in India by the Malayan porcupine (H. brachyura) and Indian (crested) porcupine (H. indica).
Indian porcupines are almost the same size on average as well, being slightly heavier on average than crested porcupine but slightly lighter than Cape porcupines. [5] [6] 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 ...
Long-tailed porcupines’ appearances are somewhat rat-like. [4] [5] Their weight is usually around 1.7-2.3 kg but can be as small as 1.5 kg and their length can be between 27.9-48 cm excluding their tail which is usually up to 24 cm. [6] [4] To save themselves from predators including larger mammals, snakes and birds, their tails can be lost when grabbed but will not be regenerated.
The North American porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) is the only extant species, but at least 4 extinct relatives are known, the oldest dating to the Late Pliocene. [2] Porcupines entered North America during the Great American Interchange after the Isthmus of Panama rose 3 million years ago. [ 3 ]