African Brush-tailed Porcupine

Atherurus africanus

Conservation Status

Least Concern

Mammalia · Rodentia · Hystricidae

About

The African brush-tailed porcupine is a species of rat-like Old World porcupine, indigenous to a broad belt of Africa ranging from Guinea on the west coast to Kenya on the east. This is a common species with a very wide range, and despite it being used extensively for bushmeat, the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated its conservation status as being of "least concern".

Fun Fact

African brush-tailed porcupines have a cluster of hollow, open-ended quills on their tails that rattle when shaken — creating a warning sound distinct from the solid quills covering their backs.

Quick Facts

Habitat

Tropical forests

Diet

Herbivore

Lifespan

10-15 years

Threats

Wildfire
Deforestation

External Data Sources

Recent sightings on iNaturalist IUCN Red List profile

More Mammals Species

Abbott's Duiker EN Abbott's Gibbon EN Addax CR African Elephant EN African Forest Elephant CR African Wild Ass CR

Browse all Mammals →