Brazilian Porcupine

South America · spiky rodent · tree climber · tropical forests

Tree-dwelling expert. Brazilian porcupines are built for climbing with special feet and a prehensile tail that helps them grip branches, making them feel right at home high up in tropical forest canopies.

Spread across South America. These porcupines live across a huge range, from Venezuela and Colombia down through Brazil, Paraguay, and into Argentina, as well as on smaller nearby countries.

Mountain dwellers too. While they prefer rainforests, Brazilian porcupines can live at elevations up to 1500 meters, which is about as high as some mountains in the United States.

Night shift animal. These porcupines are mostly active at night when they munch on leaves, bark, and fruit while hanging out in the trees away from predators.

Sharp defense system. Their body is covered in quills that stick out when threatened, making them a prickly meal that most predators want to avoid.