porcupines
Quill-covered forest mammals
Porcupines is the plural of porcupine, a large rodent covered in sharp, defensive quills.
When threatened, porcupines raise their quills; contrary to myth, they cannot shoot them, but the barbed spines detach easily on contact.
We spotted porcupines gnawing on the cabin steps.
The animals are nocturnal and found across North America, Africa, and parts of Asia.
Hollow defensive animal spikes
- spinesStiff, pointed projections
- barbsSharp points or jibes
- keratinStructural hair protein
- guard hairsCoarse outer pelage
underfur · rodent · incisors · claws · tail · snout · whiskers · nocturnal
Hollow defensive animal spikes
- barbedHaving sharp projections
- detachTo separate from
- embedFix within surrounding material
- predatorOrganism that consumes others
threat · rattle · warning · curl · bristle · swat · painful · infection
Gnawing mammal order
- North AmericanFrom U.S. or neighbors
- AfricanOf that southern continent
- crestedBearing a head tuft
- BrazilianOf or from Brazil
forest · woodland · den · nocturnal · solitary · herbivore · bark · habitat
Spiny or irritable
- defensiveProtective or easily threatened
- untouchableExempt from criticism or harm
- boundariesLines marking separation
- self-protectionSafeguarding one's own wellbeing
fable · Aesop · dilemma · Schopenhauer · intimacy · solitude · mascot · cautious
quills
Hollow defensive animal spikes
guard hairs · underfur · rodent · incisors · claws · tail · snout · whiskers · nocturnal · nearsighted
quills
Hollow defensive animal spikes
predator · threat · rattle · warning · curl · bristle · swat · painful · infection · puncture
rodent
Gnawing mammal order
- North AmericanFrom U.S. or neighbors
- AfricanOf that southern continent
- crestedBearing a head tuft
Brazilian · forest · woodland · den · nocturnal · solitary · herbivore · bark · habitat · burrow
prickly
Spiny or irritable
- defensiveProtective or easily threatened
- untouchableExempt from criticism or harm
- boundariesLines marking separation
self-protection · fable · Aesop · dilemma · Schopenhauer · intimacy · solitude · mascot · cautious · standoffish
bark
Sharp canine vocalization
roots · berries · acorns · salt · mineral lick · herbivore · gnawing · foraging · plywood · antlers
- wildlifewhite-tailed deer, birds, mammals, elephant, reptiles
- Zooszoo exhibits, zoo train, zoo tours, zookeeper, animal exhibits
- warm-bloodedmammals, birds, dogs, cats, humans
- plant-eatersherbivores, grazers, browsers, cows, horses
- rodentsmouse, rat, guinea pig, squirrel, mice
- tank obstaclestank trap, anti-tank mines, dragon's teeth, concrete blocks, steel beams
porcupinespredators
Animals that kill prey
wolves · lions · tigers · eagles · naked mole rats
porcupinesbunnies
Young or small rabbits
kittens · chinchillas · rabbits · puppies · angora rabbits
porcupinesfishers
Those who catch fish
mountain lions · great horned owls · wolverines · coyotes · wolves
- porcupine quillsSpiny rodent defense structures
- porcupine fishSpined inflating marine fish