New World and Old World porcupines occupy a wide range of habitats. In the Pacific Northwest, these animals are primarily ground dwelling. Because quills are so lightly attached, they come off easily when a predator encounters them. Development and forestry practices that impact habitat can affect porcupine … Habitat. In general, porcupines live in just about any terrain, including deserts, grasslands, mountains, rainforests and forests. The porcupine's most famous feature—the quill—is hollow, 2 to 3 inches (5 to 7 centimeters) in length, and lightly attached to the porcupine's skin. Clipart .com Facebook Some New World species are arboreal, which means that they live in the trees. It eats leaves, twigs and green plants like skunk cabbage and clover. Different species can found in desert habitats, various forests, hillsides, mountains, and rocky cliffs. In the winter, it may eat bark. Porcupines are covered in about 30,000 quills. The porcupine tends to stay in the same home range and reuses the same den year after year. Porcupine habitat varies geographically. The Division of Wildlife’s mission is to conserve and improve fish and wildlife resources and their habitats for sustainable use and appreciation by all. Fireweed grows well along roadsides and the emerging shoots are popular with porcupines. It prefers mixed forests. In the west, it can be found in scrubby areas. Erethizon dorsatum uses a broad variety of habitats. They can be found in altitudes up to 12,100 ft. high. Each adult porcupine has a home range of six to 14 acres in size, depending on food availability. Basic facts about Crested Porcupine: lifespan, distribution and habitat map, lifestyle and social behavior, mating habits, diet and nutrition, population size and status. Habitat. In the fall mating season porcupines are on the move, and in the spring they are drawn to roadsides because of early, emerging vegetation. Habitat. The North American porcupine lives in coniferous, deciduous and mixed forests. The porcupine is a common and wide-spread resident of the Adirondacks where it occurs to elevations of at least 1220 m (4000 ft). With an extensive range, porcupines can be found in varied climates, and at varied elevations. The porcupine is generally found in coniferous forests, but may also frequent mixed or deciduous stands in search of food. In the non-forested areas found along riparian corridors with trees or … Porcupines live in open tundra, deciduous forests, and desert chaparral. Found from sea level to treeline, in the forested areas of every county except San Juan and Island. Once forced to leave West Virginia, the North American porcupine is returning to the Mountain State from populations in Pennsylvania and Maryland. Habitat. Habitat. Quills are not thrown or shot, as popularly conceived. Range and Habitat: The range is most of Canada, Alaska, northern Mexico, and the western and northern U.S. The North American porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum), also known as the Canadian porcupine, is a large rodent in the New World porcupine family. Diet The porcupine is an herbivore. It often climbs trees to find food. The beaver is the only rodent in North America that is larger than the North American porcupine. Habitat of the Porcupine.