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Porcupine

The Kruger National Park is one of South Africa’s most famous destinations. Throughout the world, the popularity of this iconic landmark has intensified and draws scores of locals and foreigners alike to its terrain, boasting a dizzying array of animals as well as immaculate and panoramic bush and veld views.

The Kruger’s kaleidoscope of wildlife is simply breathtaking and guarantees visitors a fun-filled as well as educational journey. One of the more distinctive animals on display at the Park is the Porcupine. The Porcupine is fairly familiar to most around the world with its distinctive black and white sharp quills being the reason they are recognized.

The name Porcupine is actually derived from a combination between French and Latin to mean ‘quill pig’. The creature is largely nocturnal and sleeps during the day, preferring to hunt at night; they are mainly vegetarians with their diet consisting of tubers, roots, and bulbs. Visitors to the Kruger Park will no doubt be looking at the Porcupine’s most well-known feature – its black and white quills. When the animal is at rest, these quills lay flat on its back; it is only when the creature is agitated or alarmed, and retreating from a predator that the quills rise sharply on its back, sides, and tail. These needle-like quills are a timely reminder to those that hunt the Porcupine, that this animal is no push-over.

They cannot shoot the quills out at attackers as once thought, but the quills do detach easily from their bodies and once it has pierced the skin of another animal, it is very difficult to remove. This is mainly because of the serrated, almost barbed edges that the sharp tips are accompanied by. Porcupines also tend to re-grow the needles they have lost. Visitors to the Kruger Park are likely to find them in rocky hills and outcrops as they seek shelter during the day.