Porcupines (Erethizon dorsatum Linnaeus), also known as the North American, Canadian, or common porcupine, do not hibernate. During the winter, they wander away from their den and feed on tree bark. Porcupines climb trees by grasping the bark with their hind legs and propping themselves on branches with their tails. When they finish eating, they …
Tell Me About the Porcupine Porcupines are large rodents covered with over thirty thousand prickly quills. The stiff quills cover their bodies everywhere except their soft fur-covered stomachs. The fur is brown, yellow to black. They are the second-largest rodent globally, second to the capybara, which is almost double their weight. The average porcupine weighs …
What Are Porcupines? Porcupines are considered rodents. They have brown, yellow fur and stiff quills covering their bodies everywhere except their soft fur-covered stomachs. They are the second-largest rodent in North America, second to the American Beaver, which is almost double their weight. The average American porcupine weighs only about 20 pounds, and their length …
Penguins, geese, ducks, albatrosses, coots, avocets, and flamingos are a few examples of birds that have webbed feet. Did you know that there are over 400 bird species with webbed feet? Webbing between the toes is a feature of swimming among certain birds. The webbed feet help the bird to be more effective in the water. Additionally, …
Coyotes eat just about anything they come across, most of which is some form of meat. They often hunt deer, fish, crustaceans, snakes – yes, snakes. And they do that pretty smoothly by teasing the snake long enough for it to straighten out. Once they’re uncoiled, the coyote can grab onto their head and begin …
What is the youngest rainforest in the world? Rainforests are the lungs of the earth. Tropical rainforests produce 40% of the Earth’s oxygen. Unfortunately, about half of the world’s tropical forests have disappeared as crops and animal farmland replace trees. In the Amazon, the world’s oldest rainforest, illegal logging destroys 18.7 million acres of rainforest …
If you’re like me and pretty much everyone else, the word “rainforest” tends to conjure up images of lush, green vegetation. The idea that it’s infertile can seem really insane – but it’s true. People who try to grow crops there find out pretty quickly that it’s just not going to go well. The question …
More than 70 percent of the earth’s surface is covered in water, so it’s unsurprising that we have so many different types of bodies of water. Rivers, oceans, lakes, ponds – there are many types to know. And sometimes, understanding the differences can be difficult – especially when most people can’t exactly agree on a …
Butterflies are beautiful creatures that fascinate people of all ages. Even dogs are enchanted by them. On the surface, butterflies appear to be unique – and they are. However, don’t be fooled into thinking there are no other creatures like a butterfly. There are quite a few animals that are similar to butterflies in one …
The porcupine is a large rodent that has a total of 27 relatives who belong to the porcupine family. The porcupine is known as the third largest rodent that is covered in quills or spine-like defense protectors. While some find porcupines intimidating and scary, others may find this interesting rodent cute at first glance. If …
You love your Golden Retriever – there’s no doubt about that. You want to take him with you on hikes and jogs and any other outdoor adventure you seek. You also want to let him run free in your yard and enjoy being a dog, right? Chances are, though, that if you live in an …
Many civilizations in Canada are said to have eaten North American porcupines. Depending on the culture, it had varying degrees of prominence in the diet. As a tribute to the cultural significance of porcupines, Malecite referred to the Micmac as “porcupine Indians”. Some people still eat porcupines today. The number of porcupines in the area …
What do Porcupines look like? Porcupines are herbivores that love to eat leaves, twigs, bark, and green plants. They are considered rodents with brown, yellow fur and stiff quills covering their bodies except for their soft stomachs. Weighing only about 20 pounds and their length is about twenty-five to thirty-six inches full-grown, males are bigger …
Depending on where you stand, there’s something about nature that’s cute, stubborn, destructive, or dangerous. When it comes to porcupines, they embody nature. Their adorable faces and non-aggressive demeanor are welcoming, but the 30,000 quills on a porcupine’s back say, “not too close.” Quills are the thorn-like structures on a porcupine’s body. Sometimes, they’re referred …
There is only one type of wolverine, although the creature lives in many parts of the world. The scientific name for them is gula and they are related to the weasel family and wolverines are the only living member of this genus or species. They are short, stocky animals, 25-30 inches long and have shaggy hair and …
Badgers live all around the world and have a reputation as tough animals that will fight to the death. The Honey Badger, especially, is known to fight much larger animals and often wins those fights. Badgers have their own lore around the world in addition to a reputation for toughness. In North America, coyotes sometimes …
The geckos may have been popularized by an advertisement on TV, but they are cute little animals. It’s easy to see why someone might want one of their own. They are lizards and have a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and habitats. They are reptiles, so they prefer warm weather, and live in places like …
As someone who loves birds, you might be curious if all birds can swim. After all, not having webbed feet would seem to make swimming more difficult. However, webbed feet are not the only important features that help a bird to swim. Waterproof feathers, the proper body weight, and even body proportions play an important …