Jen Guyton / Meerkat (Suricata suricatta) barely alive, with Cape porcupine (Hystrix africaeaustralis) quills through his abdomen. Kalahari Desert, South Africa.

Paul Williams / North American porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum), in defensive posture with erect quills. Vermont, USA. (Habituated rescued individual returned to the wild)

Jen Guyton / Meerkat (Suricata suricatta) barely alive, with Cape porcupine (Hystrix africaeaustralis) quills through his abdomen. Kalahari Desert, South Africa.

Jen Guyton / Meerkat (Suricata suricatta) barely alive, with Cape porcupine (Hystrix africaeaustralis) quills through his abdomen. Kalahari Desert, South Africa.

Jen Guyton / Meerkat (Suricata suricatta) barely alive, with Cape porcupine (Hystrix africaeaustralis) quills through his abdomen. Kalahari Desert, South Africa.

Jen Guyton / Marketplace in Mbabane selling animal body parts including sea star, the shell of a sea turtle, a snake skin, porcupine quills, a desiccated blowfish, the skin of a hedgehog, a coral, the fur of a spo...

Jen Guyton / Marketplace in Mbabane selling animal body parts including sea star, the shell of a sea turtle, a snake skin, porcupine quills, a desiccated blowfish, the skin of a hedgehog, a coral, the fur of a spo...

Jen Guyton / Marketplace in Mbabane selling animal body parts including sea star, the shell of a sea turtle, a snake skin, porcupine quills, a desiccated blowfish, the skin of a hedgehog, a coral, the fur of a spo...

Jen Guyton / Marketplace in Mbabane selling animal body parts including sea star, the shell of a sea turtle, a snake skin, porcupine quills, a desiccated blowfish, the skin of a hedgehog, a coral, the fur of a spo...

Jen Guyton / Marketplace in Mbabane selling animal body parts including sea star, the shell of a sea turtle, a snake skin, porcupine quills, a desiccated blowfish, the skin of a hedgehog, a coral, the fur of a spo...

Jen Guyton / Marketplace in Mbabane selling animal body parts including sea star, the shell of a sea turtle, a snake skin, porcupine quills, a desiccated blowfish, the skin of a hedgehog, a coral, the fur of a spo...

Tony Heald / Yacare caiman (Caiman yacare) with porcupine quills stuck all over face, Pantanal, Brazil

Juan Carlos Munoz / Close up of Porcupine quills (Hystricidae) captive.

Jabruson / Bushmeat preparation: quills removed from Brush-tailed Porcupine (Atherurus africanus), Mbomo, Odzala-Kokoua National Park, Republic of Congo

Jabruson / Bushmeat preparation: quills removed from Brush-tailed Porcupine (Atherurus africanus), Mbomo, Odzala-Kokoua National Park, Republic of Congo

Jabruson / Bushmeat preparation:removing quills from Brush-tailed Porcupine (Atherurus africanus), Mbomo, Odzala-Kokoua National Park, Republic of Congo

Dave Watts / Short-beaked echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus) close up of fur and quills, Tasmania, Australia

Michael Quinton / Common Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) in defensive posture with quills at the ready, Alaska

Michael Quinton / Common Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) quills, Alaska

Tony Heald / Lion (Panthera leo) male, with Cape Porcupine (Hystrix africaeaustralis) quills in mane, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, South Africa, January

Nick Garbutt / Young male Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) around 20 months (late April 2009) with porcupine quills stuck in cheeks, Tulsi's offspring, Bandhavgarh NP, India

Michael Quinton / Common Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) quills, Slana, Alaska

TJ Rich / Bengal Tiger {Panthera tigris tigris} looking alert, note Porcupine quill stuck in neck, Ranthambhore NP, Rajasthan, India

Rod Williams / African crested porcupine {Hystrix cristata} captive, from Africa

Rod Williams / Cape crested porcupine {Hystrix africaeaustralis} captive, from Southern Africa

Pete Oxford / Young male Lion {Panthera leo} feeding on Porcupine, Okavango Delta, Botswana

John Cancalosi / Chocolate labrador retriever after encounter with Porcupine, USA.

Konrad Wothe / Common Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) detail of quills, North America

Yva Momatiuk & John Eastcott / Grizzly Bear (Ursus arctos horribilis) young female with porcupine quills stuck in lip, Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska

Heidi & Hans-Juergen Koch / Crested Porcupine (Hystrix cristata) quills, native to Africa

Heidi & Hans-Juergen Koch / Brown-breasted Hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) quills, Lottstetten, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany

Heidi & Hans-Juergen Koch / Brown-breasted Hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) quills, Lottstetten, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany

Heidi & Hans-Juergen Koch / Crested Porcupine (Hystrix cristata) quills, native to Africa, Krefeld, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany

Roland Seitre / Crested porcupine (Hystrix cristata) quills detail, Refuge Decan, Republic of Djibouti.

Jordi Chias / Arrow crabs (Stenorhynchus lanceolatus) pair, female underneath male after mating, male is guarding the fertilised eggs from other male Arrow crabs, protected from predators by Sea urchin quills, Gran...

Neil Aldridge / Cape porcupine (Hystrix africaeaustralis) expanding its quills in a response to danger while feeding, Hoedspruit, South Africa.

Nick Garbutt / Coyote (Canis latrans) with porcupine quills lodged in its muzzle. Hayden Valley, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA. January.

Nick Garbutt / coyote (Canis latrans) with porcupine quills lodged in its muzzle. Hayden Valley, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA. January.