Spike Champions of the World!

What’s the spikiest animal you know? You could say hedgehog, pufferfish, echidna, even a sea urchin, but nothing compares to the North American porcupine! With over 30,000 quills, these porcupines are the spike champions of the world!

These quills give the porcupine superb protection against predators. They come off easily and have barbs that hook on skin and fur. Once a barb is hooked, it gets pushed deeper and deeper as the predator moves. Talk about ouch!