Indian crested porcupine
RAMM’s Indian crested porcupine (Hystrix indica) was collected in India and brought back to the UK alive to live at Primley Zoo (now known as Paignton Zoo). When he died he was mounted (‘stuffed’) by famous taxidermy company Rowland Ward and donated to RAMM in 1940.
Porcupines are rodents. They are more closely related to beavers and mice than they are to other spiny mammals such as hedgehogs. This can be understood most easily by comparing their skulls and teeth. Porcupines feed on wood and other plant matter and have two large incisors (front teeth) that are covered with a hard layer of orange enamel, just like a beaver’s, and flat molars for grinding. Hedgehogs, on the other hand, feed on small invertebrates and have small sharp teeth.
When porcupines are threatened they rattle their short hollow tail quills and raise the much longer quills on their backs. Should a predator be unwise enough to continue its attack the porcupine will reverse into the predator’s face and can inflict very serious injuries.
Porcupines are rodents. They are more closely related to beavers and mice than they are to other spiny mammals such as hedgehogs. This can be understood most easily by comparing their skulls and teeth. Porcupines feed on wood and other plant matter and have two large incisors (front teeth) that are covered with a hard layer of orange enamel, just like a beaver’s, and flat molars for grinding. Hedgehogs, on the other hand, feed on small invertebrates and have small sharp teeth.
When porcupines are threatened they rattle their short hollow tail quills and raise the much longer quills on their backs. Should a predator be unwise enough to continue its attack the porcupine will reverse into the predator’s face and can inflict very serious injuries.
Object Summary
- Accession Loan No.
- 43/1940
- Collection Class
- Mammals
- Collection Area Region
- South Asia
- Common Name
- Indian crested porcupine
- Simple Name
- mammal
