Length:
2 to 3 ft
Weight:
20 to 65 lbs
Location:
Africa, Southern Europe
Habitat:
Savanna, Forest, Mountains
Status:
Near Threatened
Threats:
Hunting, Persecution

Enormous boulders cast dark shadows over the rocks and trees of a kopje, a small hill that rises like an island from the African veld. Small, white needles emerge from a rock crevice. Catching the moonlight, they manifest as glistening bands along the thorns of a crested porcupine. The flattened spines sway conspicuously, drawing a predator from the shadows: a young, male leopard. Forgoing stealth, the cat rushes forth to swipe at the eccentric creature, which raises its spines into a crest, its tail rattling like a maraca. The leopard hesitates, then tries once more to bat it. The porcupine stamps its feet, whirs its long quills, then spins round and backpedals into the persistent cat. Leaping away, the astonished leopard retreats, its chest bristling with spines.

Amanda describes crested porcupines.
RealPlayer | Windows Media

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What's on the Menu?
 Fallen Fruit, Bark, Rhizomes, Tubers,
 Roots, Bulbs, Insects

What's on the Prowl?
 Lion
 Leopard
 Spotted Hyena