Not only is the crested porcupine the largest porcupine, but it is also one of the largest rodents in the world! Its average length is 24-33 inches with a weight of 29-60 pounds.

Most of the crested porcupine’s body is covered with dark brown or black bristles with occasional white markings. Their most notable characteristic is their wide quills that run along the back half of their body which can reach 14 inches in length!

The crested porcupine is a rodent found in Italy and North and sub-Saharan Africa. It lives in a variety of habitats such as sandhill deserts, rocky terrains, and forests.

Crested porcupines are herbivores and forage at night for fruit, bulbs, leaves, bark, and more. Even though they live in small family groups, they tend to forage alone, searching up to 9 miles for food. To consume calcium and sharpen their incisors, crested porcupines can often be seen chewing on bones throughout the day.

Crested porcupines mate throughout the year in monogamous pairs. Females will remain pregnant for 90-110 days before giving birth to 1-4 porcupettes. All porcupettes are born with their eyes open and with a full set of teeth and quills; however, their quills are soft and will not harden until a week after birth, which is when the young will leave the burrow.

The crested porcupine got its name from the fact that when its back is raised, it occasionally forms a crest.

Crested porcupines have a variety of defense mechanisms. When threatened, they will raise their large quills to seem bigger and rattle them while stomping their feet. As a last-ditch effort, the crested porcupine will run backwards and ram the attacker with its quills so they lodge into the predator’s skin. These quills are so formidable they can wound or even kill the attacker!