Cape Porcupine

The Cape porcupine is the largest rodent in Africa and one of the most striking, thanks to its impressive coat of sharp, black-and-white quills. These quills can grow up to 50 cm long and serve as a powerful defense mechanism. When threatened, the porcupine will rattle its hollow tail quills as a warning before charging backwards to stab predators.

This nocturnal mammal is mainly active at night, spending daylight hours hidden in burrows, caves, or under rocks. Despite their fearsome look, Cape porcupines are shy, non-aggressive animals that prefer to flee rather than fight. They live either alone, in pairs, or in small family groups, and they often return to the same den for years.

Cape porcupines have powerful jaws and large incisors that allow them to chew through tough plant material. They feed on roots, bulbs, bark, and fallen fruit, and are known to gnaw on bones to supplement their diet with calcium and sharpen their ever-growing teeth.

They’re also ecosystem engineers, digging habits and bone collection help aerate the soil and redistribute nutrients. Their tracks and scat can indicate where underground food sources are located, which other animals may take advantage of.

Native to southern and central Africa, Cape porcupines can be found in a variety of habitats including savannahs, forests, and rocky hills, avoiding only true deserts and very wet areas. They are well adapted to arid environments, able to go without water for long periods by extracting moisture from food.

Cape porcupines don’t shoot their quills—but they can embed them with force. These modified hairs are loosely attached, so when a predator comes too close, the porcupine can drive the quills deep into flesh.