Sumatran porcupine ( Latin Hystrix sumatrae ) is a species of rodents of the porcupine family. The Sumatran porcupine was previously included in the species of a hard-toed porcupine , a very similar species living on the neighboring island of Borneo . Species were later divided based on differences in body size and needle diameter. The Sumatran porcupine is smaller and has much thinner needles than hard-eared.
| Sumatran Porcupine | ||||||||||||||
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| Hystrix sumatrae ( Lyon , 1907 ) |
Security status IUCN 2.3 Least Concern : 10754 |
Appearance and build
Relatively small animals. The length of the body is from 45 to 56 cm with an average value of 54 cm. The length of the tail is from 2.5 to 19 cm, an average of 10 cm. Weigh 3.8-5.4 kg. Animals are covered with sharp flat needles, hollow needles, and stiff bristles. The needles and bristles can be up to 16 cm long and be less or more flexible on the cheeks, belly and feet. Hollow needles are located on the tail. They are empty at the ends and rattle like a rattle while shaking the tail. These needles are only in adult animals. The animals are dark brown, although about half of their needles and bristles have white tips. They often have off-white spots on the underside of the neck. Sumatran porcupines do not have a crest, like some other members of the genus porcupines.
Habitat and lifestyle
They live on the island of Sumatra at altitudes up to 300 m above sea level. Shelters in burrows, rock cracks and under fallen trees. Found in forests, abandoned and cultivated plantations and stony wastelands. Climb trees badly. Mostly nocturnal, herbivorous animals. Sumatran porcupines swim well. Marked area secretions anal glands . Being disturbed, they stomp their feet and thunder needles on the tail.