Long-tailed porcupine facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Long-tailed porcupine Temporal range: Middle Pleistocene - Recent
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Genus:	Trichys
Species:	fasciculata

The long-tailed porcupine (scientific name: Trichys fasciculata) is a type of rodent. It belongs to the Hystricidae family, also known as the Old World porcupines. This unique animal is the only species in its group, called Trichys. You can find long-tailed porcupines living in countries like Brunei, Indonesia, and Malaysia.

What Does a Long-Tailed Porcupine Look Like?

Long-tailed porcupines look a bit like large rats. They usually weigh between 1.7 and 2.3 kilograms (about 3.7 to 5 pounds). Their body length can be from 27.9 to 48 centimeters (11 to 19 inches). Their tail can add another 24 centimeters (9.4 inches) to their total length.

Special Features for Safety

These porcupines have a special trick to escape predators like larger mammals, snakes, and birds. If a predator grabs their tail, the tail can break off. However, it will not grow back. Their broad paws help them climb very well. This means they can easily go up trees and shrubs to find food. Their front paws have four toes, while their back paws have five toes.

Color and Spines

Long-tailed porcupines are usually black or brown. Their belly is typically white. Short, flat, dark brown spines cover most of their body. These spines have a white base. Between the spines, they have bristly hair. Their head and belly are covered only with hair.

The spines of the long-tailed porcupine are shorter than 5 centimeters (2 inches). This makes them the shortest spines among all porcupines in the Hystricidae family. Their tail is brown and mostly covered with scales. The tip of their tail, their rear, and hindquarters have brush-like hollow quills. Unlike some other porcupine species, these quills do not make a sound when shaken.

What Do Long-Tailed Porcupines Eat?

Long-tailed porcupines are mainly plant-eaters, also known as herbivores. They are also folivores, meaning they eat a lot of leaves. They are also lignivores, which means they eat wood. Their main diet includes leaves, wood, roots, tree bark, and the inner layer of trees called the cambium. They also enjoy fruits, seeds, and bamboo shoots.

Food Hoarding and Impact

Sometimes, they also eat invertebrate insects and other small creatures like arthropods that live on land. Long-tailed porcupines help spread seeds because they collect and store fruits and seeds. This is called food hoarding.

When they eat the cambium layer of trees, it can sometimes cause the trees to die. This can be both good and bad. It's good because dead trees can create homes for some bird species. However, to humans, they can be a problem. For example, they might eat crops like pineapples, which can be annoying for farmers.