Page 72 - November/December 2022 Outdoor Oklahoma Magazine
P. 72
Some COOL FACTS About Porcupines:
• In Oklahoma, they are mainly seen in the western half of the state.
• They are covered with up to 30,000 barbed quills for protection.
• Quills are loosely attached and easily stick into anything they touch. MATTNAD/WIKIMEDIA CC-BYSA3
• Porcupines cannot “shoot” or “throw” their quills.
• They can reach 3 feet in length and weigh up to 25 pounds.
• They are nocturnal and mostly solitary in lifestyle.
• Their preferred den locations are in hollow trees or under rocks.
• These rodents are plant eaters and spend much time in trees.
• Porcupines generally give birth to one or two porcupettes in spring.
WADE FREE/ODWC GARY ESLINGER/USFWS
Color a Critter: Porcupine
November/December 2022 43
