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North African crested porcupine
Hystrix cristata is found in Italy, Sicily, and along the
Mediterranean coast of Africa to northern Zaire and Tanzania. Some scientists say H. cristata
was introduced into Italy by the Romans as a game animal, however
fossil records indicate their presence back to the Upper
Pleistocene. They are believed to have recently gone extinct in the
Balkans.
Hystrix are highly adaptable, found in forests, rocky areas,
mountains, croplands, and sandhill deserts. They shelter in caves,
rock crevices, aardvark holes, or burrows they dig themselves. Burrows are often
extensive and used for many years.
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North African crested porcupine
The average head and body length of the crested porcupine is 600-930
mm, with a tail length of 80-170 mm. The head, neck,
shoulders, limbs and underside of body are covered with coarse, dark
brown or black bristles. The animal is characterized by
quills along the head, nape, and back that can be raised into a
crest, in addition to sturdier quills about 350 mm long along the
sides and back half of body generally used for defensive purposes. These stronger quills are generally marked with
alternating light and dark bands.
Hystrix is distinct among Old World porcupines due to its shorter
tail and the presence of rattle quills at the end of the tail. These quills broaden at the terminal end and this section is
hollow and thin walled, so a hisslike rattle is produced by their
vibration.
The forefoot of Hystrix has four well-developed, clawed digits (the
thumb is regressed), and the hind foot has five. The soles of paws
are naked and have pads, and
their gait is plantigrade. Eyes and external ears are very small,
with long vibrissae on the head.
Reproduction
Usually, females have only one litter per year. After a 35 day estrous cycle and 112 day gestation period,
one to two well developed offspring are born in a grasslined chamber
within the burrow system. At birth or shortly afterward, the young's
eyes are open and incisors are completely broken through. The body
is covered with short hair, and back spines are still soft with
individual sensing bristles projecting far beyond the spines.
Newborn weigh only 3% of the mother's body weight. Yet they leave
the den for first time after only one week, at which time the spines
begin to harden. The young begin to feed on solid food between two
and three weeks, and the five white stripes found on their side
start to disappear at four weeks. Hystrix
cristata individuals usually reach adult weight at one to two years
and are usually sexually mature just before then.
Hystrix cristata females do not show aggression to familiar males,
but are aggressive to unknowns.
Behavior
The social life of H. cristata is based on monogamy and long
intensive care of young. Small family groups, consisting of an adult
pair and various infants and juveniles, share an elaborate burrow
system. To bear young, females often establish a separate den. Hystrix are terrestrial, rarely climbing trees, but
are able to swim. They are also strictly nocturnal. Individuals may remain in burrows through winter
but don't truly hibernate.
The quills of crested porcupines serve as an effective defense
against predation. When disturbed, they raise and fan quills to
create an illusion of greater size. If the disturbance continues,
they stamp their feet, whirr quills and charge the enemy, back end
first, attempting to stab with the thicker, shorter quills. Such attacks have been known to kill
lions, leopard, hyenas, and humans.
Food Habits
Hystrix cristata is an herbivore that eats bark, roots, tubers,
rhizomes, bulbs, fallen fruits and cultivated crops. They
occasionally consume insects, small vertebrates and carrion. In
addition, they commonly gnaw on bones for calcium and to sharpen
incisors. Hystrix cristata can travel significant distances in
search of food. In captivity they should be offered a complete diet
of rodent lab blocks, and rat or mouse
mix, with bits of fruit or veggies regularly. Cheerios or wheat
bread are great treats, in small quantities. Do NOT feed chocolate,
fried foods, salted foods, candy or junk food! They may enjoy
crickets and mealworms if they are captive bred insects, never feed
wild insects as they may carry parasites. Vitamins, like Nutri-Cal are a good addition to their diet, and added calcium
during nursing and growth due to demands on their systems at those
times, but take care not to overdo it. Water bottles should be used
to proved constant, clean water. Ceramic or stoneware food dishes
work well for keeping seeds or fresh foods off the floor, and a wire
mesh hopper that allows them to eat the lab blocks through without
extra waste.
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