The North American porcupine is the second largest rodent, after the beaver. They can grow to be two or three feet tall and weigh up to twenty pounds. Their black to brownish-yellow fur acts as a soft undercoat while their quills act as a protective mechanism.

Their iconic quills are specially adapted hairs with barbed tips which are solid at the end and hollow for most of the shaft. Their quills get longer as they go down their body, their shortest quills being around their face and their longest quills being around their rump. Contrary to popular belief, they cannot throw or shoot their quills. Instead, when they're threatened, they will stick their quills and hair up. When a predator even lightly touches the porcupine’s body, the quills will then stick to the animal due to being lightly attached to the porcupine.

Porcupines’ strong, short legs have hairless paws that help them climb in the wild. North American porcupine populations can be found in Canada, the western United States, and northern Mexico.

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Our Current Resident

Both of our porcupine residents are in the same habitat as the skunks. You may notice over there that it is a bit smelly — it is not the skunks’ fault! The skunks of ZooMontana no longer have scent glands; however, porcupines are also known for having a pungent odor.  

Lander

Lander came to ZooMontana as a young porcupette after her mother passed due to a vehicle collision. Upon arriving, she was hand raised by Zoo staff which deemed her non-releasable. Compared to Ross, Lander is a lighter brown color with blonde guard hairs.  
You can get to know Lander better and meet her in person through our programs scheduled through the Education Department! 

Gender: Female

Birthday: Born on April 1, 2019