Steven Kazlowski / North American porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) pup feeds on Alaskan high brush cranberries in the foothills of the Takshanuk Mountains, South-East Alaska, USA

Roland Seitre / Baby Rothschild's Porcupine (Coendou rothschildi) on the palm of conservation volunteer. La Marinas Wildlife Rescue Centre, Costa Rica, 2008.

Roland Seitre / Baby Rothschild's Porcupine (Coendou rothschildi) being bottle-fed. La Marinas Wildlife Rescue Centre, Costa Rica, 2008.

Rod Williams / North American Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum). Captive. Endemic to North America. Captive. UK, May.

Tim Fitzharris / Common Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) eating an apple, North America

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

Tim Fitzharris / Common Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) portrait, Montana

Gerry Ellis / Common Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) climbing tree, North America

Tim Fitzharris / Common Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) feeding on fruit, Montana

Matthias Breiter / Common Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) in willow tree near the Denali highway, Alaska

Michael Quinton / Common Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) feeding on Pussy Willow (Salix discolor) in spring, Alaska

Michael Quinton / Common Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) sitting in a tree in winter, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Michael Quinton / Common Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) feeding on Pussy Willow (Salix discolor) in spring, Alaska

LYNN M. STONE / North american porcupine in tree in winter, USA.

Jabruson / Bushmeat trade - roadside restaurant with freshly caught items on the menu on full display to passing vehicles, in this case Brush-tailed Porcupines (Atherurus africanus). If not eaten at the restaura...

Steven Kazlowski / North American porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) pup feeds on Alaskan high brush cranberries in the foothills of the Takshanuk Mountains, South-East Alaska, USA

Claudio Contreras / North American Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum), Janos Biosphere Reserve, northern Mexico, February.

Konrad Wothe / North American porcupine with young (Erethizon dorsatum) Alaska, USA, July

Sebastian Kennerknecht / Indian Crested Porcupine (Hystrix indica) at night, Hawf Protected Area, Yemen

Sebastian Kennerknecht / Indian Crested Porcupine (Hystrix indica) at night, Hawf Protected Area, Yemen

Roland Seitre / Conservation volunteer with a baby Rothschild's Porcupine (Coendou rothschildi). La Marinas Wildlife Rescue Centre, Costa Rica, 2008.

Roland Seitre / Conservation volunteer with a baby Rothschild's Porcupine (Coendou rothschildi). La Marinas Wildlife Rescue Centre, Costa Rica, 2008.

Tony Phelps / African / Cape crested porcupine (Hystrix africaeaustralis) released from leopard trap, DeHoop NR, Western Cape, South Africa, December

Rod Williams / North American Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum). Captive. Endemic to North America. Captive. UK, May.

Mark Jones / Crested Porcupine (Hystrix cristata) digging, Laikipia, Kenya

Nature Production / African Crested Porcupine (Hystrix cristata) mother and young, captive, Tobu Zoo, Saitama, Japan

Nature Production / African Crested Porcupine (Hystrix cristata) young, captive, Tobu Zoo, Saitama, Japan

Fabio Liverani / Woman walking her two domesticated Crested Porcupines (Hystrix cristata) along a road, Sri Lanka. June 2010

Angelo Gandolfi / Crested Porcupine (Hystrix cristata) foraging at night, Tuscany, Italy.

Luiz Claudio Marigo / Prehensile tailed porcupine (Coendou prehensilis) sniffing tree, forest of Sierra of Baturita, municipality of Mulungu, Ceara¡ State, Northeastern Brazil.

Luiz Claudio Marigo / Prehensile tailed porcupine (Coendou prehensilis) hanging from tree, forest of Sierra of Baturita, municipality of Mulungu, Ceara¡ State, Northeastern Brazil.

Luiz Claudio Marigo / Prehensile tailed porcupine (Coendou prehensilis) sniffing air, forest of Sierra of Baturita, municipality of Mulungu, Ceara¡ State, Northeastern Brazil.

Thomas Marent / Malayan Porcupine (Hystrix brachyura), Thailand

Thomas Marent / Malayan Porcupine (Hystrix brachyura) walking at night, Thailand

Thomas Marent / Malayan Porcupine (Hystrix brachyura) walking at night, Thailand

Rolf Nussbaumer / North American Porcupine {Erethizon dorsatum} climbing Texas Oak tree (Quercus buckleyi) Hill Country, Texas, USA

Matthew Maran / Captive White Tailed Porcupine {Hystrix indica} roadside show for passing tourists, near Sigiriya, Sri Lanka

Konrad Wothe / Common Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) in tree, North America

ZSSD / Common Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) close-up

ZSSD / Common Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) adult in tree, native to North America

Luiz Claudio Marigo / Prehensile tailed porcupine / Coendu {Coendou prehensilis} Gran Chaco NP, Bolivia

Luiz Claudio Marigo / Porcupine {Coendou mexicanum} feeding in tree, Gran Chaco NP, Bolivia

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

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

Mary McDonald / North American porcupine {Erethizon dorsatum} climbing, USA

Michael Pitts / Common short tailed porcupine {Hystrix brachyura} foraging in litter, Flores, Indonesia

Michael Pitts / Common short tailed porcupine {Hystrix brachyura} foraging in litter, Flores, Indonesia

Jabruson / Confiscated tusks of African Forest elephants damaged by Crested porcupine {Hystrix cristata} Odzala NP, Congo Rep

Michael Pitts / Common short tailed porcupine {Hystrix brachyura} foraging in litter, Flores, Indonesia

Michael Pitts / Common short tailed porcupine {Hystrix brachyura} at water's edge, Flores, Indonesia

LYNN M. STONE / North American porcupine {Erethizon dorsatum} with deer's antler, Montana, USA

Michael Pitts / Common short tailed porcupine at waters edge {Hystrix brachyura} Flores, Indonesia

Thomas Lazar / North american porcupine {Erethizon dorsatum} sitting on post, Kettle River, Minnestota, USA

LYNN M. STONE / North american porcupine {Erethizon dorsatum} amongst birch leaves and antler, Captive, USA

LYNN M. STONE / North american porcupine {Erethizon dorsatum} amongst birch leaves and antler, Captive, USA

LYNN M. STONE / North american porcupine {Erethizon dorsatum} climbing tree in snow, Captive, USA

LYNN M. STONE / North American porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) USA

Larry Michael / Underside of North american porcupine showing teeth {Erethizon dorsatum} captive, Illinois, USA

Luiz Claudio Marigo / Prehensile tailed porcupine / Coendu {Coendou prehensilis} Gran Chaco NP, Bolivia

Luiz Claudio Marigo / Crested porcupine {Hystrix sp} Bolivia

Luiz Claudio Marigo / Prehensile tailed porcupine / Coendu {Coendou prehensilis} Gran Chaco NP, Bolivia

Luiz Claudio Marigo / Prehensile tailed porcupine / Coendu {Coendou prehensilis} Gran Chaco NP, Bolivia

Luiz Claudio Marigo / Prehensile tailed porcupine / Coendu {Coendou prehensilis} Gran Chaco NP, Bolivia

Michael Pitts / Common short tailed porcupine at waters edge {Hystrix brachyura} Flores Indonesia

Niall Benvie / Young North american porcupine climbing tree {Erethizon dorsatum}

Konrad Wothe / Common Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) portrait in tree, North America

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

Konrad Wothe / Common Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) baby, North America

Konrad Wothe / Common Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) baby climbing in tree, North America

Konrad Wothe / Common Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) mother and baby in tree, North America

Michael Quinton / Common Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) feeding on Pussywillow (Salix discolor) in the spring, Alaska

Michael Quinton / Common Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) feeding on Mistletoe (Phoradendron serotinum) in winter, Island Park, Idaho

Norbert Wu / Paraguay Hairy Dwarf Porcupine (Sphiggurus spinosus) arboreal unlike old world porcupines, tropical rainforest habitat, Costa Rica

Patricio Robles Gil / North american porcupine in tree {Erethizion dorsatum} Chihuahua, Mexico

Richard Du Toit / Damage to tree caused by Porcupine {Hystrix sp} Chobe NP, Botswana

Gertrud & Helmut Denzau / White tailed / Indian porcupine at night by water {Hystrix indica} India

LYNN M. STONE / North American porcupine in tree. (Erethizon dorsatum) Montana, captive US

Peter Blackwell / Crested porcupine {Hystrix cristata} Central Kenya

LYNN M. STONE / North American porcupine, Autumn Rocky Mountains USA

Tony Heald / Porcupine walking {Hystrix africaeaustralis} Damaraland, Namibia

Tony Heald / Porcupine portrait {Hystrix africaeaustralis} Damaraland, Namibia

Tony Heald / Porcupine at water {Hystrix africaeaustralis} Damaraland, Namibia

Tony Heald / Porcupine drinking {Hystrix africaeaustralis} Damaraland, Namibia

Peter Blackwell / Crested porcupine {Hystrix cristata} foraging on ground, Central Kenya, Africa

Paul D Stewart / Woodcut illustration of Crested Porcupine (Hystrix cristata) with colouring. From Gesner's 'Icones Animalium' publ. Christof Froschover, Zurich, 1560. Of Gesner's many woodcuts this is one of the more...

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

Peter Blackwell / Two Crested porcupines {Hystrix cristata} foraging on ground, Kenya

Dan Burton / Close up of spines of Crested porcupine {Hystrix cristata}

Mark Moffett / Asiatic Brush-tailed Porcupine (Atherurus macrourus) atop cage about to be released back into the wild by rangers, Tam Dao National Park, Vietnam

Mark Moffett / Asiatic Brush-tailed Porcupine (Atherurus macrourus) atop cage about to be released back into the wild by rangers, Tam Dao National Park, Vietnam

Peter Blackwell / Crested porcupine portrait {Hystrix cristata} Central Kenya

Tony Heald / Porcupine {Hystrix africaeaustralis} drinking, Damaraland, Namibia