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Common Porcupine


Common Porcupine
Photo Information
Copyright: Rick Price (Adanac) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1111 W: 1 N: 4518] (15132)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-02-01
Categories: Mammals
Camera: Canon 20D, Canon 100-400/4.5-5.6L IS
Exposure: f/9.0, 1/640 seconds
Details: Tripod: Yes
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version, Workshop
Theme(s): Donnas Favorite Wildlife photos! [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2008-02-02 2:21
Viewed: 665
Favorites: 1 [view]
Points: 46
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
This Porcupine was seen eating the bark off a Cottonwood tree. It was cool -20 celcius with light snow, so we didn't walk to far into the sandhills N.E. of Medicine Hat. Close up in workshop

Common Porcupine
Erethizon dorsatum
General Description

By Gustave J. Yaki


If, in the deep woods in summer, you should hear what sounds like a human baby crying, it more than likely is a young porcupine. The two sound uncannily alike. Normally silent, Porcupines can and do utter a variety of grunts, moans, whines and wails. Adult males produce frighteningly loud screams during the mating season in late autumn. The gestation period is about 210 days, unusually long for a rodent. Like humans, usually only one baby is born. Its soft moist quills soon stiffen and become effective within minutes. Unlike humans, it eats solids and can climb trees within a few days; if necessary, within hours.

Porcupines evolved in South America. There, at least seven other species are still found today. When North and South America became joined together at Panama about three million years ago, some Porcupines came across the isthmus, eventually colonizing much of this continent. Next to American Beavers, which they resemble in shape, adult Porcupines are our largest living rodent. With short legs and a thickset body, about 90 cm in length and weighing in at about 9 kilograms, they shuffle along with a slow ungainly gait. Although often found far out in the prairies, their feet are well adapted for climbing trees. Strictly vegetarian, they eat almost any plant species, but prefer the inner bark of trees, especially Aspen Poplar, willows and spruce in our area. Most active at night, they tend to sleep by day; in summer often in trees, in winter wherever they can find shelter, preferably a den, hollow tree or log, or under an overhanging bank..

The most unique feature of Porcupines are the 30,000 inflated, specialized, loosely attached hairs on top of their head, back and tail. These sharp-pointed quills, up to 12 cms long, are equipped with backward-pointing barbs and are a most formidable defense against all predators except the Fisher, a member of the Weasel Family. These lightning-fast mammals attack the defenseless face. Other mammals rushing in to attack get a face or a paw full of quills. The barbs prevent them from being removed. Instead, they work forward, often lethally into a vital organ. The Porcupine soon grows replacement quills, ready for the next assault. Contrary to rumours, the quills are never thrown.
Evelynn, Dan, eqshannon, NinaM, Argus, jaycee, Jamesp, kjpweb, jeanpaul, CeltickRanger, rousettus, mariki, ramthakur has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

nice fluffy one, TFS Ori

  • Great 
  • Dan Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 116 W: 0 N: 363] (1777)
  • [2008-02-02 2:45]

Hi Rick,

Interesting photo and animal. Good details and posture of subject. Very useful the datas.

TFS, Dan

Many mountain folk, who are also artisans, go out at particular times in winter to capture these. Not in image as you have done so well...but they trek with a large fluffy blanket which they throw over the animal, then hold on for a bit and jerk away the blanket. In doing this the porcupines give up quite a number of quills. Then the old artsy hipsters go home and craft earrings and other jewelry out of them along with various feathers and coloured beads. A Barter Fair in the Pacific NW can be quite the experience...and you have show us in this image, that through it's quill's a porcupine can be worth as much as a mink. And with the porcupine, the animal lives on!!! Us old hippies are quiet the environmental thinking old geezers.
bob

  • Great 
  • NinaM Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 655 W: 0 N: 1623] (5300)
  • [2008-02-02 6:24]

Oh Rick, this is the cutest! Look at its face, how nice and sweet, really tender sweet. The colours are beautiful, the little animal's needles even look soft. As for the technicalities, as always, it is perfect and so pleasing to look at. Thank you!

Francine

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2770 W: 151 N: 7984] (24857)
  • [2008-02-02 6:24]

Hello Rick,
A foreigner like me would hardly imagine a porcupine looking like this, with a view of the underside and up a tree with not spine in sight! It's a fine capture though that allows us to see how furry this animal is and that it is a good climber.
Thanks for this bit of education, both from this fine image and your informative note.
Ivan

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2585 W: 170 N: 7879] (24911)
  • [2008-02-02 6:28]

Hello Rick,
Wow, what a funny big-nosed fellow! And what's he doing up the tree?? And where are the spines?? I really didn't know they looked this furry on the underside. Splendid shot, very sharp and in fine colours. Excellent composition too.
Many thanks and cheers, Ulla

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1911 W: 8 N: 4976] (16095)
  • [2008-02-02 8:09]

Hi Rick,

I've only seen porcupines in pictures. He looks so fluffy! I love the way he is holding onto the tree. He really is cute. Nice shot and I'm so glad you posted it so we could see him close up.

Jane

  • Great 
  • Jamesp Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1305 W: 0 N: 5107] (15234)
  • [2008-02-02 8:09]

Hi Rick

I find these creatures really fascinating - I don't know why! This is an excellent shot - very reminiscent of the snow monkeys I visited a couple of weeks ago. Lovely detail and composition.

James

  • Great 
  • PaulH Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1068 W: 26 N: 3206] (11487)
  • [2008-02-02 12:17]

Hi Rick,
not the image of a Porcupine i had in my head! Up a tree and fluffy??
What a great shot, love the snowy setting and the composition and details are perfect. Good notes too, cheers mate.
Paul

  • Great 
  • joey Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1888 W: 245 N: 6180] (22002)
  • [2008-02-02 13:00]

Porcupines climb trees?! Call me naive but I never knew they could do so! :)
Anyway,
this is a really nice capture.
We don't often see Porcupines on TN so this is a pleasant suprise :D
Great sharpness showing the fur with really fine detail.
Excellent composition.
Very nice lighting.
The workshop is great!

Thanks for sharing this Rick.
Cheers,
Joe

  • Great 
  • kjpweb Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 367 W: 86 N: 1084] (4788)
  • [2008-02-02 13:22]

Wonderful image and excellent notes and funny egshannon comment.
Seems more fluffy than pointy - but I wouldn't volunteer to test.
Well done! Cheers, Klaus

Bonjour Rick
Très belle photo de ce porc-épic capturé dans son élément naturel. Belle lumière qui n'altère pas les détails. Belle présentation.
Ta note est aussi très intéressante et très informative.
Félicitations et merci...JP

hello Rick

beautiful image, i love the way he is stand at the tree,
a nice eye contact with your camera lens and excellent
sharpness and details of his hairs, TFS

Asbed

Hi Rick,
Except for larger mammals, especially smaller and middle sized relatively rare on TN. also Porcupines. You greatly captured it on a tree, characteristically. There is another Porcupine family, Hystricidae, in Turkiye, but we dont see them on trees. Sometimes in caves and among maqique vegetation. Composition, POV and focus great. good notes.
Thanks for sharing, best wishes
Ahmet

Hello Rick,

Very nice and interesting picture. I did not know that the porcupine could climb in the trees. I did not read the title and, with the thumb, I thought first it was a monkey. Good sharpness, very nice natural colours.
Well done,
Cheers,
Mariki

Still me Rick,
Lovely unusual shot of this Porcupine, I like so much his funny face,
excellent post,
cheer,
friendly,
Pat

  • Great 
  • jmp Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1836 W: 94 N: 2340] (8406)
  • [2008-02-03 11:21]

Hi Rick,
Excellent capture of this porcupine with great details, good pose and pov.
TFS, José M.

This is fantastic Rick! You keep this up and we are going to have to spend a winter in Medicine Hat some year!! The weather can't be much more miserable than here... just colder. That is the best photo of a porcupine I've ever seen! Great work!!!

TFS
Evelynn : )

  • Great 
  • meyerd Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 412 W: 64 N: 1225] (3835)
  • [2008-02-05 12:00]

Hi Rick,
how I envy you for this particular kind of fauna in your country. Such a strange animal yet it seems grinning at you! You did an excellent portrait of the elusive beast. Well done!
Best regards
Dietrich

  • Great 
  • arfer Gold Star Critiquer [C: 2731 W: 0 N: 0] (0)
  • [2008-02-05 20:39]

Hello Rick

A super capture of this porcupine.
The fur detail and texture is amazing.
The colours are natural and vivid.
Excellent focus and sharpness.
TFS

Rob

  • Great 
  • EOSF1 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1427 W: 128 N: 5252] (23221)
  • [2008-02-06 7:51]

Hello Rick, great capture my friend, I love the pose of the subject! Great technical qualities too, well done, thanks!

Mario

Hi Rick,
Awwwww this is soooo cute!!! What a big fatty! Love the white background assuming from the snow, and the upwards branches from the tree, great shot, I don't think I've seen one of these guys in a long time! TFS
Donna:o)

I have always been curious about Porcupines, Rick. I have hardly ever seen a Porcupine face to face. In my home in the Himalayas during my younger days, we used to collect Porcupine quills and wonder how the animal looked wearing them. The animal was very elusive.
Your picture of this species is of great interest to me. You have shown the frontal parts of its body well in this shot.
I wonder how it would look from the rear, though.
Thanks for sharing the image and best regards.
Ram

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