Porcupine 17.7" L

8046, PORCUPINE 17.7"L are anatomically scaled to create the best reproduction of the life size stuffed animal and the most realistic stuffed animal in the industry.

The North American porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum ), also known as the Canadian porcupine, is a large quill-covered rodent in the New World porcupine family. It is the second largest rodent in North America, after the North American beaver (Castor canadensis ). The porcupine is a caviomorph rodent whose ancestors crossed the Atlantic from Africa to Brazil 30 million years ago, and then migrated to North America during the Great American Interchange after the Isthmus of Panama rose 3 million years ago.

The North American Porcupine is a well-known New World rodent. This slow-moving porcupine is the second North American rodent in size only to beaver. In addition, the range of this species is the northernmost of all porcupines. The animal has short legs and heavy build. The front half of the body exhibits long, yellowish guard hairs. The back and tail exhibit dark, coarse hairs with up to 30,000 characteristic quills, scattered among them. The quills of this animal are yellowish with black tips and have stiff, barbed around 3 inches-long spines. Once thrust into another animal's skin, these spines may become fatal.

Having the northernmost range of all porcupines, these rodents occur throughout much of North America, from the Arctic Ocean to northern Mexico. They inhabit most of Alaska and Canada, the northern part of the Great Lakes region as well as the west and northeast regions of the United States. North American porcupines live in coniferous and mixed forested areas, but have adapted to harsh environments such as shrublands and tundra. They make their dens in hollow trees or in rocky areas.

• The word 'porcupine' originates from 'porc espin', meaning ‘spined pig’ in Middle French. These animals were named 'quilled pigs' by Americans, but they actually rodents, which aren't related to pigs.
• The main food of porcupines is tree bark. So, when passing through an area, it usually leaves some trees with stripped bark on its way, which helps detect the location of this animal.
• Quills of these animals possess a topical antibiotic, which helps prevent infection. This antibiotic is mainly intended for self-defense, in a case if the porcupine is accidentally prickled by its own quills.
• Foraging habits greatly differ among porcupines, depending on group and location. Thus, African porcupines usually forage on the ground, whereas those, native to North America, forage in trees.
• The body of porcupine produces keratin - a material, from which its quills are made.
• Due to being hollow, quills of this animal were used to keep gold dust. Presently, porcupine quills are often used as musical instruments.
• Since porcupines love the salty flavor, they can consume axe handles, canoe paddles, outhouses, and even automobile radiator hoses.
• When falling from a tree, this animal often gets stuck to a branch or something else on its way to the ground.

Product Dimension: 17.72(L) X 4.12(W) X 5.62(H)

HANSA CREATION, INC.  Woodland & Prairie is HANSA CREATION's hand-crafted collection of realistic plush animals. It takes great pride in each enchanting work of soft sculpture art, carefully designed to educate, fascinate, captivate and inspire creative play for collectors of all ages.

Artists create each HANSA animal from portraits of the creature in its natural habitat appropriately called Hansa Creation Portrait's in Nature. It is HANSA's uncompromising integrity in design and quality standards that has charmed collectors for generations and continues to mesmerize new collectors of all ages.