Adopt me! Your contribution helps provide my food, toys, and medical care. I'll stay at the Museum, and you'll get a photo of me and a certificate as reminders of your generosity. We'll also list your name on a placard at the Museum. Check out our adoption section and see all of our adoption levels.

North American Porcupine
Erithizon dorsatum

History
She was captive born at the Utica Zoo, NY in 2000. She arrived at Coyote Point Museum in 2001.

Fun Facts
Porcupines love salt. They need sodium to rid their bodies of high levels of potassium from leaves and bark. They will gnaw on anything salty. Axe handles, hoes, canoe paddles, gloves, and anything else touched by human hands are porcupine magnets.

Birth Date: 2000

Diet in the Wild
Tree bark, evergreen needles, buds, twigs, roots, stems, leaves, flowers, seeds, berries, nuts, and other vegetation.

Diet at the Museum
Mazuri Leaf Eater biscuits, fruits, vegetables and browse. Her browse changes daily but can include any number of the following: dandelion, plantain, pine, willow, acacia, and nasturtiums.

Life Span
In the Wild: 10 to 20 years.
In Captivity: Up to 20 years.

Habitat
They prefer coniferous forests but they have adapted to live in grasslands, open tundra, and deserts.

Range
From Canada to northern Mexico and most of the United States

Conservation Status
No special status although their populations are declining due to cars and shooting.