Brazillian Tree Porcupine

Among the most notable features of Brazilian tree porcupines are their unspined prehensile tails. These tails can hold their entire body weight and are used to grasp, and aid with balance and movement from branch to branch. The front and hind feet are also modified for grasping. These limbs all contribute to making this animal an adept climber, an adaptation to living most of their lives in trees. Their quills range in colour from a light yellow to black and white.

This species does not hesitate to attack an adversary, which it does by biting and/or sitting on its haunches to shake its quills. They will stamp their hind feet when excited and curl up to protect their soft underbelly. They can’t fire their quills, no species of porcupine can! However, the quills are short, barbed and readily detach becoming embedded in predators. They can produce a variety of sounds, from moans and whines to grunts, coughs, shrieks, barks, and wails.