What’s Africa’s Largest Rodent? You’ll Never Guess

These little creatures are feisty! They are covered with thick, bristle-like hairs and have quills and spines on their backs and flanks. The spines on their tails are hollow and open-ended, and when feeling threatened, they shake their tails to create rattling sounds, which is quite intimidating. They also display other warning signs, such as stomping, hissing and grunting.

If the spines don’t make it obvious, Africa’s largest rodent is the porcupine.

They’re part of the rodent family because their teeth never stop growing. And just like any other rodent, porcupines like to chew. Rodents need to gnaw on things to keep their teeth short. With a healthy appetite for wood, a favorite porcupine pastime is ring-barking trees. Why? Because they can!

Porcupines spend their nights searching for fallen fruit and berries and digging up roots, tubers, and bulbs. They also gather animal bones in their dens and practice osteophagia (eating or chewing bones), especially young porcupines or pregnant females.

If you ever encounter a porcupine — during an EcoTraining adventure or elsewhere in Africa — remember that its presence signifies a healthy ecosystem.

Read More