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Coendou prehensilis


Coendou prehensilis
Photo Information
Copyright: Livio Soares de Medeiros (livios) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2306 W: 324 N: 4306] (16856)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2006-12-30
Categories: Mammals
Camera: Canon EOS 20D, Canon EF100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 IS USM, Hoya 77mm UV
Exposure: f/8, 1/400 seconds
Details: (Fill) Flash: Yes
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2007-07-08 15:49
Viewed: 936
Points: 50
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Coendou prehensilis
(Brazilian porcupine)

Geographic Range
South America: Venezuela, Guianas, Brazil, Bolivia, and Trinidad.

Habitat
These porcupines live in forests between 150-2500 meters in elevation. They occur both in coastal and Amazonian areas of Peru. Occasionally, this species enters cultivated areas.

Physical description
Body length is between 300-600 mm. Dorsal side is covered with short spines. Coloration of dorsal side varies from yellow to black, venter is usually gray. No spines are found on the tail, which is long (330-485 mm) and prehensile. Feet are reflective of their arboreal lifestyle, with long-clawed digits.

Reproduction
There is no breeding season. Little is known about courtship and mating interactions between the sexes. Gestation lasts 203 days, after which one precocial young is born. Young weigh 415 grams at birth and can climb almost immediately. Weaning occurs after 10 weeks, adult size is reached in less than a year, and sexual maturity (for females) is achieved in 19 months. Females mate right after young are born.

Behavior
Prehensile-tailed porcupines are nocturnal and arboreal. During the day, individuals rest in trees at a height of 6-10 meters. Intra-specific interactions consist of biting and attempts to injure adversaries with their sharp quills. When excited, porcupines stamp their hind feet. Vocalizations consist of growls and cries. If caught, these porcupines roll into a ball. The prehensile tail is used to curl around branches when climbing.

Food Habits
The diet is primarily vegetation, including leaves, tender, stems, fruits, blossoms, and roots. They get at the cambium layer of trees by peeling away the bark. They also have been found to raid guava, bananas and corn from plantations.

(Source: Fahey, B. 1999. "Coendou prehensilis" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed December 30, 2006 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Coendou_prehensilis.html.)

claudine, JoseMiguel, ppmiranda, deblink, lovenature, Alan_Kolnik, pirate, sandpiper2, rousettus, marhowie, valy67 has marked this note useful
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ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To pirate: Croppinglivios 1 07-09 10:42
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1902 W: 8 N: 4957] (16017)
  • [2007-07-08 15:57]

Hi Livio,

A wonderful close-up of this porcupine. The face is fantastic with the whiskers, the spikes, and the marvelous eye. Excellent details showing the texture of the body. Marvelous colors and a wonderful pose.

Jane

Very great photo! Nice sharp focus on the face, the leaves really add to the photo and a great note.

  • Great 
  • trinko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 610 W: 83 N: 324] (4310)
  • [2007-07-08 16:15]

interesting subject nice focus good pose nise background good DOF

Hi Livio,
What an amazing capture!
I like so much your close approach to this porcupine, and all the clear details got.
I think I never seen this before, so I'm amazed by the form of its head and all the details seen.
You made a great capture between leaves and with that blue sky as background.
Congratulations and thanks for share it.
My best regards,
JM

Hello Livio,
This is a great image of this Porcupine. The Porcupine looks fabulous against the colourful background. Nice sharpness, the detail can be seen well. I had no idea the Porcupine rested in trees, unlike our Echidna's who stay on the ground. Thank you for your informative note.
Cheers,
Debbie

Hi Livio
What a unique looking Porcupine that lives in your area. He's almost comical with his pudgy little nose. Very cute. You have interesting notes about this little guy. Great colour, lighting and detail.
TFS Janice

hi liviyo,
lovely shot, the image is very sharp with good details, lovely natural colours, the pose captured is very nice, well composed shot,
tfs & regards
pankaj

I wouldn't like to step on this creature by mistake! I've never seen this one before - very interesting, and technically perfect exposure and sharpness.

Hi Livio
Great capture with perfect exposure and colours.
If this is cropped try to safe the claws!
Tfs
Tom

  • Great 
  • demeve Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 515 W: 8 N: 1134] (4174)
  • [2007-07-08 22:54]

Ola Livio,
Meus parabens em mais uma maravilhosa captura
a foto e bem nitida e bem composta, cores forte e brilhantes, o porco espinho esta em grande pose..
meus parabens

A new species for me Livio, I didn't know there were tree climbing porcupine
Well captured with very nice sharpness
Great POV and well exposed.

Chris

  • Great 
  • SelenE Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2422 W: 63 N: 3988] (12860)
  • [2007-07-09 4:10]

Hi Livio,
Beautiful photo of this Brazilian porcupine. Details, exposure handling, colors, composition, focus and sharpness are very good. Well done and TFS
Best wishes,
Selen

Wow! ... I never had the chance to see this animal in real but I know that we do have them in my country. This is such a sharp portrait with great colors, composition and perspective! Beautifully done; congrats :)
Claudine

Ola Livio.
Boa foto.Interessante o olhar desconfiado.
Parabens pelo belo album de fotos.
Abraco.
Ralf

Hi Livio,
I never saw such a nice guy before, I like your shot very much, lovely guy.
Bye and greetings
Sabine - wishnugaruda

Hola Livio, Una foto excelente, con muy buena nitidez, colorido, POV y composición, Además me gusta mucho como se ve la cara del coendú.
Saludos
Hernán

Hi Livio,
What a nice and lovly porcupine capture. Excellent details and focus. Pose and especially expression on its face great like lighting. Coloration superb. TFS
well done
Ahmet

  • Great 
  • arfer Gold Star Critiquer [C: 2731 W: 0 N: 0] (0)
  • [2007-07-09 19:46]

Hello Livio

A beautiful close up of this porcupine.The focus and details are excellent.The colours are vivid with excellent lighting.Very well done.TFS

Rob

Hello Livio,
Nice and sharp :)
I like the clear alert eyes, what a great POV. Well exposed, with excellent color and details. Cute nose too, call me strange ;}
Well done!
Howard

  • Great 
  • wuta Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 884 W: 2 N: 616] (2070)
  • [2007-07-12 11:33]

Hello Livio , Never seen before , A very nice beest a lovely face , great sharpnes colours details and compositie tfs ,Greetings Teunie .

This is a great shot of this really cool porcupine. The side profile shows this character off best, with great detail. very nice Livio. :)

  • Great 
  • Janice Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3464 W: 145 N: 5942] (17790)
  • [2007-07-14 20:21]

Hi Livio, how unusual - I've not seen a Brazilian porcupine like this - the pink eyes look strange. Nice and sharp, good details and colours too. Is he up a tree? I like your POV from underneath him,
Well done
Janice

Hi Livio,
It's the first time I see a picture of this little fellow. And what a picture, waouw the shapness !!!
Good evening
Guy

Hello Livio !
Wonderful pictue of this strange but cute animal ! His face is very unusual but I love the pink color. I had never seen it before ! Excellent details, vivid colors, beautiful composition and POV, and you made exellent use of your flash. Very interesting note too. Very well done !
Valerie.

Nice shot of a strange looking animal. Good details near the eye and nose. The out of focus branches create a little problem, but otherwise a great shot.

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