Prehensile-tailed Porcupine

Coendou prehensilis

Range: South America

Habitat: This animal lives primarily in forests at elevations of up to 8,000 feet.

Status in the Wild: This species is not considered threatened or endangered although it is killed for food in some parts of its range and is a victim of habitat destruction.

Size and Weight: The head and body length is between 12 and 24 inches. The tail adds another 13 to 19 inches. Weight is between two and 11 pounds.

Habits: This nocturnal animal, arboreal animal is rather slow, but sure-footed in trees. It prefers to spend its days sleeping in tangled vegetation in the treetops or in hollowed -out limbs, tree trunks or shallow burrows. At night it forages for food, often covering very large areas. This species does not hesitate to attack an adversary, which it does by biting and/or sitting on its haunches to shake its quills. It will also stamp its feet when excited and tends to roll-up in a ball if caught in an open area. Its vocalizations include deep growls and plaintive cries. The prehensile-tailed porcupine, like other New World porcupines, is very near-sighted and has a keen sense of touch, hearing and smell.

Diet: At the Zoo, this porcupine receives fruit, vegetables, monkey chow and rodent block. The diet in the wild consists of leaves, tender stems, fruits, blossoms, and roots. They will also peel bark from the trees to reach the under layer.

Coloration: The coloring of the dorsal portion of the body varies greatly between individuals, from light yellow to varying shades of brown to almost black. Some are speckled. The ventral portion is usually gray. The spines are short and thick. The prehensile tail lacks spines. The tip of the tail is naked with a callus pad on the upper side. The tail coils upward when being used to balance trees. The feet are also adapted to climbing with long, curved claws on each of the four digits.

Reproduction/gestation: There is no set breeding season for this species. The gestation is about 200 days, resulting in the birth of a single, precocial young. The young weighs 14 ounces at birth. It is born with eyes open and is able to climb. Weaning takes place at 10 weeks and adult size is obtained in 48 weeks. Females are sexually mature at 19 months.