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PORCUPINE

QUILLIE EILISH came to us from Conservation Ambassadors, another sanctuary in California, and is an African crested porcupine. We had been searching for the perfect female companion for AJ for months when she finally appeared on our radar—and it was love at first sight!

AJ even chose her name himself. We held an online naming contest, and when it came down to Quillie Eilish or Prickcilla Presley, he made his choice immediately—Quillie it was! Since then, she has followed him around like a loyal sidekick, and the two have already moved in together.

Quillie is incredibly social and often joins AJ on his outings, even becoming part of our tours. Come meet this adorable pair—you won’t regret it!

ORDER: RODENTIA
FAMILY: HYSTRICIDAE
GENUS: HYSTRIX
SPECIES: CRISTATA

 

Most active during nighttime hours, (nocturnal). They eat plant matter (herbivore) and wood, making them lignivores. They are known to eat bones for the calcium and to keep their incisors sharp. They are natural architects creating complex burrow systems for their families. Their quills are not barbed like other porcupines, and they cannot shoot their quills. They must make contact with their opponent. They are social and monogamous. They reproduce in November to December, are pregnant 112 days, normally producing 1 to 2 babies at a time. The babies quills start to harden within hours of birth and the babies can run almost immediately to escape predators, (precocial). They sexually mature at 2 to 3 years of age.

Threats

 

Farmers poison them as they are attracted to crops. They are hunted for their meat and quills and in Morocco they are killed in large numbers and used in “traditional medicine” and witchcraft.

Conservation Status

 

LC - Least Concern

@2025 Animal Tracks - designed by Tymme Reitz, Annalisa Giolo Dunker and Zina Block

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