Wildlifeof Vietnam
Malayan Porcupine
Rats, Mice, Voles & Porcupines
Photo: Mike Gordon — wildlifeofeverywhere.com · Project photograph
Hystrix brachyura
Rare visitor: recorded only occasionally in this country
Basic stats
Diet
Roots, tubers, bark and fallen fruit; also carrion, insects and large tropical seeds
Habitat
All forest types up to about 1,500m
Gestation period
About 90–112 days
Size
Head and body 56–74cm; tail 6–11cm
Weight
10–18kg
The Malayan or Himalayan porcupine is a large rodent with a head and body of 56–74 cm, a short tail of 6–11 cm, and a weight of 10–18 kg. The quills on the upper body are rough and black with white or yellow stripes, and the legs are short and stocky, covered in brown hairs, with four claws on the front feet and five on the hind. Three subspecies live in South and Southeast Asia (Wikipedia, general species account).
It is found in all forest types up to about 1,500 m. It is terrestrial and usually lives in small groups, and it may dig burrows from which a network of trails runs into the surrounding habitat. It forages at night and rests by day, feeding on roots, tubers, bark and fallen fruit, and also eats carrion, insects and large seeds. The young's soft quills harden as they become adults, gestation is about 90–112 days, and maximum longevity is about 27 years.
Quick answers
- What does the Malayan Porcupine eat?
- Roots, tubers, bark and fallen fruit; also carrion, insects and large tropical seeds
- What habitat does the Malayan Porcupine live in?
- All forest types up to about 1,500m
- How long is the gestation period of the Malayan Porcupine?
- About 90–112 days
- How big is the Malayan Porcupine?
- Head and body 56–74cm; tail 6–11cm
- How much does the Malayan Porcupine weigh?
- 10–18kg