Uploaded November 2020 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Porcupines are a type of rodent found in two main regions of the world, so scientists group them into either Old World or New World porcupines. Old World porcupines live in Europe, Africa, and Asia; some examples are the North African crested porcupine, African brush-tailed porcupine, and Indian crested porcupine. New World porcupines live in North, Central, and South America; some examples are the Canadian porcupine, Mexican hairy dwarf porcupine, and Brazilian porcupine.
All porcupines are nocturnal and quite adaptable, found in a variety of habitats, as long as there is vegetation. There are a few differences between the Old World and New World species:
Old World crested porcupines have back quills that can stand up into a crest (like a Mohawk hairdo). The crest starts from the top of the head and goes down to the shoulders. They display their weaponry for all to see. Each quill is marked with black and white bands. Some quills can be up to 20 inches (51 centimeters) long. These long, pliable quills act as guard hairs and form a "skirt." When threatened, the skirt can be erected, making the porcupine appear two to three times bigger.
Smaller, rigid quills that are 8 inches (20 centimeters) long are densely packed over the Old World porcupine’s rump and back. These can stab any potential threat. At the base of the tail, the porcupine has blunt, hollow quills that rattle when shaken, serving as a warning to potential predators. If the noise doesn't work, the porcupine may try to charge backward into the predator. When threatened, a crested porcupine stamps its feet, growls, and grunts to scare off the predator.
The quills of New World porcupines are much smaller (about 4 inches or 10 centimeters long) but work just as well. The end of each quill has a small barb (like a fish hook) that snags the flesh, keeping the quill stuck in the enemy's skin. Any animal with a quill lodged in its skin will have a hard time removing it if it doesn't have fingers and thumbs! When threatened, New World porcupines erect quills that jut out in various directions, like a pincushion. The porcupines may stand still in a defensive pose, or they may charge the enemy. New World porcupines are also known to lash out at predators by batting at them with their quill-laden tails. During fights, New World porcupines also chatter their teeth to sound fierce.
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Porcupines are a type of rodent found in two main regions of the world, so scientists group them into either Old World or New World porcupines. Old World porcupines live in Europe, Africa, and Asia; some examples are the North African crested porcupine, African brush-tailed porcupine, and Indian crested porcupine. New World porcupines live in North, Central, and South America; some examples are the Canadian porcupine, Mexican hairy dwarf porcupine, and Brazilian porcupine.
All porcupines are nocturnal and quite adaptable, found in a variety of habitats, as long as there is vegetation. There are a few differences between the Old World and New World species:
Old World crested porcupines have back quills that can stand up into a crest (like a Mohawk hairdo). The crest starts from the top of the head and goes down to the shoulders. They display their weaponry for all to see. Each quill is marked with black and white bands. Some quills can be up to 20 inches (51 centimeters) long. These long, pliable quills act as guard hairs and form a "skirt." When threatened, the skirt can be erected, making the porcupine appear two to three times bigger.
Smaller, rigid quills that are 8 inches (20 centimeters) long are densely packed over the Old World porcupine’s rump and back. These can stab any potential threat. At the base of the tail, the porcupine has blunt, hollow quills that rattle when shaken, serving as a warning to potential predators. If the noise doesn't work, the porcupine may try to charge backward into the predator. When threatened, a crested porcupine stamps its feet, growls, and grunts to scare off the predator.
The quills of New World porcupines are much smaller (about 4 inches or 10 centimeters long) but work just as well. The end of each quill has a small barb (like a fish hook) that snags the flesh, keeping the quill stuck in the enemy's skin. Any animal with a quill lodged in its skin will have a hard time removing it if it doesn't have fingers and thumbs! When threatened, New World porcupines erect quills that jut out in various directions, like a pincushion. The porcupines may stand still in a defensive pose, or they may charge the enemy. New World porcupines are also known to lash out at predators by batting at them with their quill-laden tails. During fights, New World porcupines also chatter their teeth to sound fierce.
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![Cuteness in This Video : Cool Baby Elephants Learn To Swim [Elephant Calf]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/p-VVxUlPtL8/mqdefault.jpg "Cuteness in This Video : Cool Baby Elephants Learn To Swim [Elephant Calf]
baby elephant is called a calf. It weighs about 250 pounds at birth and stands about three feet tall. Calves cant see very well at first, but they can recognize their mothers by touch, scent, and sound.
Baby elephants stay very close to their mothers for the first couple of months. The calves drink their mothers milk for about two years, sometimes longer. They drink up to 3 gallons of milk a day! At about four months old, they also begin eating some plants, like adult elephants, but they continue to need as much milk from their mother. They keep drinking milk for up to ten years!
At first, baby elephants dont really know what to do with their trunks. They swing them to and fro and sometimes even step on them. They will suck their trunk just as a human baby might suck its thumb.
By about 6 to 8 months, calves begin learning to use their trunks to eat and drink. By the time they are a year old, they can control their trunks pretty well and, like adult elephants, use their trunks for grasping, eating, drinking, bathing.
Female elephants stay with the herd for life, while males leave to begin a solitary life at about 12 to 14 years of age.
Elephant Babies Coloring Page: Color this picture while you review the facts youve learned.
Species of Elephants
For many years scientists thought that there were two different species of elephants: Asian elephants and African elephants. However, in 2000, they began classifying African elephants into two distinct species, the African savanna elephant and the African forest elephant.
Elephant Vocabulary Worksheet : Discover more about elephants by with this vocabulary worksheet. Look up each word in a dictionary or online. Then, write the correct word on the blank line beside each definition.
Elephant Word Search : See how well you remember what you learned about elephants. Circle each word as you find it hidden among the letters in the word search. Refer to the worksheet for any terms whose meaning you dont remember.
African savanna elephants live in the area of Africa below the Sahara desert. African forest elephants live in the rain forests of Central and West Africa. The elephants that live in the African forest have smaller bodies and tusks than those that live on the savannas.
Asian elephants live in the scrub and rain forests of Southwest Asia, India, and Nepal.
Elephant Habitat Coloring Page : Review what youve learned about elephant Habitats.
Distinguishing Between Asian and African Elephants
There are many similarities between Asian and African elephants, but there are simple ways to distinguish one from the other. African elephants have much larger ears that seem to be shaped like the continent of Africa. They need large ears to cool off their bodies on the hot continent of Africa. Asian elephants ears are smaller and more rounded.
African Elephant Coloring Page
There is also a distinct difference in the shape of Asian and African elephants heads. Asian elephants heads are smaller than an African elephants head and have a double-dome shape.
Both male and female African elephants can grow tusks, though not all do. Only male Asian elephants grow tusks.
Asian Elephant Coloring Page
The Asian elephant is smaller than the African elephant. Asian elephants live in jungle habitats. Its entirely different than the deserts of Africa. Water and vegetation are more plentiful in the jungle. So Asian elephants do not need wrinkled skin to trap moisture or large ears to fan their bodies.
Even the trunks of Asian and African elephants are different. African elephants have two finger-like growths on the tip of their trunks; Asian elephants only have one.
Elephant Family Coloring Page : Do you think you can tell African and Asian elephants apart? Are these African elephants or Asian elephants? What are the identifying features?
Elephant Diet Coloring Page : All elephants are plant eaters (herbivores). Adult elephants eat about 300 pounds of food a day. It takes a long time to find and eat 300 pounds of food. They spend 16 to 20 hours a day eating!
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