Kids Page
                 Animal of the Month:
      Giant African Crested Porcupine

Bet You Didn't
Know:

Porcupines DO
NOT shoot their
quills, they
dislodge them
when they back
into a predator.  

Porcupines lose
one to two quills a
day just like we
lose hair!   

The word
porcupine means
"Quill pig" in Latin!

The porcupine's
quills have been
used as good luck
charms, hairpins,
weapons, musical
instruments and
even containers
for gold dust!

Adult African
Crested
Porcupines have
over 30,000 quills!
Ah, love!  For our African Crested Porcupines, it was love
at first site!  Having children was the next natural step.  
These two lovebirds are now the proud parents of twins.  

The African Crested is the largest member of the
porcupine family.  They are responsible for killing more
lions and humans than any other animal in Africa!  
Although the puncture wounds can be serious, it is the
bacteria on the quills that often leads to death!  Sadly,
many people in Africa do not have access to good health
care.  The antibiotics that would save them from the deadly
infection are simply not available.    

African Crested porcupines are considered a pest because
they happily munch on farmer's crops.  Our pair love sweet
potatoes and most other root vegetables.  They are not
fussy eaters and enjoy almost anything from bread to
chicken!  

When the porcupine feels threatened, his quills fan out
and rub together.  This results in an intimidating noise that
sounds a bit like a loud rattlesnake.  This display, along
with some fancy foot stomping is enough to frighten away
most predators.  
Meet "Mohawk".  You can call
her Mo!