The word Porcupine means Thorn Pig and can be be traced back about 600 years to when the animal was known as porke despyne (spine hog).
In Hamlet, Shakespeare wrote Porcupine as Porpentine. But then, he couldn't spell his own surname.
Porcupines are rodents like mice or rats. They have two families - the Old World Porcupines (Hystricidae) of Africa and Eurasia, and the New World Porcupines (Erethizontidae) of North and South America.
They're good tree climbers and good swimmers too. The air-filled quills on their backs act like a spiky life jacket.
One single Porcupine can have 30,000 Quills. These are modified hairs that are loosely connected to the skin allowing them to detach easily to flummox predators. And to give bearded Cornishmen a keepsake.
Each quill is tipped with a barb, making it difficult for predators to remove. Contrary to a longstanding myth, Porcupines cannot fire or eject their quills like darts. Instead they swipe at attackers with their quill-covered tails.
Porcupines can accidentally stab themselves and each other - such as during a fall or mating - but their quills are coated with natural antibiotics, which minimises the chance of infection.
Young Porcupines are called Porcupettes. Thankfully for Mum, the quills don't harden until a few days after birth.
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