{"id":41319,"date":"2024-08-30T10:12:36","date_gmt":"2024-08-30T08:12:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/e30b567b-7e83-4a9b-b3e7-49d11abb6ca9"},"modified":"2024-08-30T10:27:27","modified_gmt":"2024-08-30T08:27:27","slug":"does-anything-eat-porcupines-surely-its-spiky-quills-protects-it-from-predators","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/rss_feed\/does-anything-eat-porcupines-surely-its-spiky-quills-protects-it-from-predators\/","title":{"rendered":"Does anything eat porcupines? Surely its spiky quills protects it from predators?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Surely a porcupine’s prickly quills would put off a hungry predator? Not necessarily says Stuart Blackman <\/p>

By <\/p>

Published: Friday, 30 August 2024 at 08:12 AM<\/p>

\n\n

Can any animals eat porcupines? Surely not as<\/strong> porcupine quills present an impenetrable thicket to most predators. <\/strong><\/p>

But these backward-pointing defences are only effective if the rodent can keep its assailant to its rear.<\/p>

What animals can eat porcupines?<\/h2>

In North America, pumas<\/a><\/strong> and fishers<\/a> (marten-like mammals) are skilled porcupine predators, outmanoeuvring their quarry to launch their attacks from the front, or flipping the animal over to expose its soft underbelly.<\/p>

Strangely, many snakes cannot resist a porcupine, even though they can be mortally wounded by the quills at the point of swallowing.<\/p>

There is evidence, too, that porcupine-related injuries can turn lions<\/a><\/strong>, particularly young males, into man-eaters, if either the wound or resulting infection prevents them from hunting their usual prey.<\/p>

Getty video<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Also may like:<\/h4>