Of all the great diversity of animals in the world, the Atherurus macrourus, or the Brush Tailed porcupine, is very compelling and one of a kind.  The Brush Tailed Porcupine is not actually like the normal modern day porcupines that you would think of.  The Brush Tailed porcupine is in the group of Old World porcupines.  Old World porcupines are very different from modern day porcupines in many ways. 

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The Brush Talked porcupine is almost rat-like, slender, and small, weighing from two to nine pounds on average.  This porcupine also has very unique coloration.  Its fur ranges from black-brown to gray-brown, and its hairs have white-ish tips.  The Brush Tailed Porcupine being hunted by fierce predators has also formed some adaptations for protection.  Its entire body is covered in very spiky hairs that are super sharp.  Some identifying characteristics are that it is spiky, has small ears and eyes, and has a distinct tail with hairs on the end.

 

The Artherurus macrourus, like most rodents, burrows into the ground to live.  If not the ground, its burrows can be found in dead trees, crevices, and in a rocky area near water. The Brush Tailed porcupine does well in habitat, making very nice burrows.  They are productive lodge diggers and have tunnels that are usually about three and a half meters long.  This porcupine is usually found in most of Southeast Asia.

 

The Brush Tailed porcupine has an important role in the food web.  What it does is eat fallen seeds on the forest floor and disperses them.  Also, its burrows provide aeration for the soil.  The Atherurus macrourus’s feeding time is strictly at night, and they are mostly herbivores, besides eating some small insects. They also enjoy eating tree bark, roots, leaves and fallen fruits.  This diet is bad for the farmers though, because it eats their crops. The porcupine doesn’t really have to compete for its food, otherwise for other little forest floor herbivores.

 

The population of the Brush Tailed porcupine is not well accounted for. In my research, I did not come up with a number of the organisms in the world. The conservation status is of least concern, so there can’t be too few of these organisms. The population is shrinking though, and what could be contributing to this is most likely the Brush Tailed porcupine’s predators.  Some of their predators are leopards, large owls, other cats, and sometimes humans hunt them for their meat.  Not being very big and tough, this porcupine must use its spikes on its body for defense.  Also, it is aposematic, meaning that its coloration blends in to its surroundings, being the forest floor.

 

I have learned some really awesome things about the Brush Tailed porcupine. One cool fact is how in the environment in which it lives, it actually increases vegetation by spreading seeds, making holes for water, and providing aeration for the soil.  Another is that bones are found in their shelters, because they enjoy gnawing on them.  I also learned that the Atherurus macrourus is an active tree climber.  Although the Brush Tailed Porcupine is not a very popular animal, it has been a very interesting and amazing animal to learn about.

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Author:  Jake H.

Published: 02/2011

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Works Cited

Choe, Ginn. "Atherurus Macrourus." Animal Diversity Web. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology, 2006. Web. 7 Feb. 2011. <http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/pictures/Mammalia.html>.

Macdonald, David W. "Old World Porcupines." The Encyclopedia of Mammals. New York, NY: Facts on File, 1984. 704-05. Print.

Woods, C. A., and C. W. Kilpatrick. "Asiatic Brush-tailed Porcupine." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. 5 Jan. 2009. Web. 1 Feb. 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/>.

 

Photo Credit: Siamensis.org