Wild Side

El Residente 36 Wild Side

The Porcupine

They’re small, so cute, and well, not-quitecuddly – and they are difficult to find in Costa Rica. Called a tree porcupine, or by the much more colorful name, Mexican hairy dwarf porcupine, the local species Coendou mexicanus is smaller than its North American cousin, but equally as prickly! The porcupine is a member of the rodent family and the species found locally grows to between 12-18 inches plus a tail of 8-14 inches. They can weigh up to six pounds and are herbivores, which feast on a diet of young leaves, fruits, seeds and buds. Their heads are light-colored with their body covered in dark hair, which somewhat obscures the short yellowish quills. Their prehensile tail facilitates easy movement among the tree branches. The animals are nocturnal and tend to

by Ryan Piercy

favor jungle and woodland areas, such as the many parks in the country. Porcupines are not aggressive and their quills are purely for defensive purposes, which are only used if the creature feels threatened. The quills, totaling up to 30,000 per individual, also do not “shoot” at victims, but will become impaled if touched or if the porcupine manages to swat the threat with their tail. Of course, this is usually more of a problem for predators or curious creatures, like dogs, but you certainly want to take precaution not to get overly close to one. The Mexican hairy dwarf porcupine is not found on the threatened list and is located throughout the Americas from Mexico down through Panama, and thus in all areas of Costa Rica. The males are quite territorial amongst each other, but not

toward the females of the species. They are also very vocal and combative during mating season, and generally just a single offspring will result from a pairing. The small ones will receive care for about six months, but actually begin foraging for their own meals within days of birth. Their life span is about eight years. Though it is possible to see the occasional porcupine in the daytime around the country, from sea level up to about 3,200 meters, being nocturnal and solitary makes this infrequent. For a greater chance of viewing, as well as a potentially safer one, your best option may be at one of the various animal sanctuaries found around the country.

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