Many species of porcupine live in Africa. The crested porcupine is the largest rodent in Africa; its quills grow up to 12 inches on the back. These porcupines prefer dry, rocky regions and adapt to deserts and high altitudes. The crested porcupine shakes its quills to create a rattling noise when threatened; the cape porcupine of Africa also does this. Cape porcupines live in sub-Saharan Africa. Both crested and cape porcupines eat roots and pants.
The North American porcupine is the largest species of porcupine, weighing up to 20 lbs. North American porcupines have up to 30,000 quills or more. These porcupines live in the forests of the United States and Canada. North American porcupines live in old logs, caves, and other sheltered areas; porcupines are solitary animals and live alone. North American porcupines climb trees, and use their prehensile tails to eat leaves; they also eat roots and plants.
There are many species of porcupine living across Asia. The Asiatic brush tailed porcupine lives throughout China, Eastern and Southeast Asia. This porcupine has a long tail with a brush of quills at the end; like the quills on its body this tail is used for protection. The East Asian porcupine eats vegetation as do other porcupines; sometimes it also eats small bugs. East Asian porcupines live in forests and mountains; they are highly adaptable.
The European porcupine is related to the African crested porcupine; as with African crested porcupines, European porcupines can erect the spines on their backs into a crest. These porcupines have short tails; their spines rattle as they walk because they are hollow. European porcupines do not climb trees because they lack the longer tail of climbing species but they can swim. They survive off of plants and sometimes chew on old animal bones for calcium.