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Animal Guide

North American Porcupine

67 destinations · 28 states

Native Range
Canada, the United States, and northern Mexico

The North American porcupine may spend much of a zoo visit sitting quietly in a tree, but that calm appearance hides some useful defenses. Its body is covered with thousands of sharp quills, which are modified hairs with barbed tips. Watch the face and feet closely and you may notice how well suited this animal is to climbing. Long claws grip bark while the strong tail helps provide support as it moves along branches. Porcupines are mostly active at night, but daytime visitors can still catch one feeding, exploring, or slowly climbing through its habitat. They are herbivores, often eating bark, leaves, buds, and other plant material. A porcupine's teeth keep growing throughout its life, which helps it handle a diet that can be tough on teeth. If one starts descending from a branch, keep watching. Its deliberate movements and surprisingly confident climbing can make the animal much more engaging than its sleepy expression suggests.

North American Porcupine

Where to see North American Porcupine

67 destinations across 28 states

67 destinations

Abilene Zoo

Abilene, TX

Alaska Zoo

Anchorage, AK

Bear Country USA

Rapid City, SD

Bearizona Wildlife Park

Williams, AZ

Brandywine Zoo

Wilmington, DE

Bronx Zoo

Bronx, NY

Cameron Park Zoo

Waco, TX

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

Colorado Springs, CO

Cleveland Metroparks Zoo

Cleveland, OH

Cohanzick Zoo

Bridgeton, NJ

Columbian Park Zoo

Lafayette, IN

Cosley Zoo

Wheaton, IL

CuriOdyssey

San Mateo, CA

Dakota Zoo

Bismarck, ND

Denver Zoo

Denver, CO

Elmwood Park Zoo

Norristown, PA

Fort Rickey Discovery Zoo

Rome, NY

Henry Vilas Zoo

Madison, WI

Henson Robinson Zoo

Springfield, IL

High Desert Museum

Bend, OR

Hutchinson Zoo

Hutchinson, KS

John Ball Zoo

Grand Rapids, MI

Lake Superior Zoo

Duluth, MN

Lehigh Valley Zoo

Schnecksville, PA

Lynnwood Park Zoo

Jacksonville, NC

Manitowoc Lincoln Park Zoo

Manitowoc, WI

Memphis Zoo

Memphis, TN

Milwaukee County Zoo

Milwaukee, WI

Minnesota Zoo

Apple Valley, MN

Navajo Nation Zoo

Window Rock, AZ

NEW Zoo & Adventure Park

Green Bay, WI

North Carolina Zoo

Asheboro, NC

Northwest Trek Wildlife Park

Eatonville, WA

Orange County Zoo

Orange, CA

Phoenix Zoo

Phoenix, AZ

Pine Grove Zoo

Little Falls, MN

Plumpton Park Zoo

Rising Sun, MD

Prospect Park Zoo

Brooklyn, NY

Pueblo Zoo

Pueblo, CO

Ralph Mitchell Zoo

Independence, KS

Red River Zoo

Fargo, ND

Rosamond Gifford Zoo

Syracuse, NY

Safari North Wildlife Park

Brainerd, MN

San Antonio Zoo

San Antonio, TX

San Diego Zoo

San Diego, CA

Sequoia Park Zoo

Eureka, CA

Shalom Wildlife Zoo

West Bend, WI

Smithsonian National Zoological Park

Washington, DC

Southwick's Zoo

Mendon, MA

Staten Island Zoo

Staten Island, NY

Stone Zoo

Stoneham, MA

Summerfield Zoo

Belvidere, IL

The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore

Baltimore, MD

Utah's Hogle Zoo

Salt Lake City, UT

Washington Park Zoo

Michigan City, IN

Wilderness Walk Zoo

Hayward, WI

Wildwood Wildlife Park Zoo & Safari

Minocqua, WI

Wildwood Zoo

Marshfield, WI

Woodland Park Zoo

Seattle, WA

Zollman Zoo

Byron, MN

Zoo Boise

Boise, ID

Zoo Idaho

Pocatello, ID

Zoo in Forest Park & Education Center

Springfield, MA

Zoo New York

Watertown, NY

ZooAmerica

Hershey, PA

ZooMontana

Billings, MT

Zootah

Logan, UT

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