Species Details

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Asiatic Brush-tailed Porcupine Did you see this animal?

Scientific Name : Atherurus macrourus
Family : Hystricidae
Order : Rodentis
Class : Mammalia
Phylum : Chordata
Other Name : Brush-tailed Porcupine
Habitat : Forest, Shrubland
 
Description : Asiatic brush-tailed porcupines are relatively large rodents, measuring between 60 and 90 cm (24 to 35 inches) long, with a tail length of 14 to 18 cm (5.5 to 7 inches).

They have a distinctive appearance, with long quills covering their backs and sides. These quills are sharp, hollow, and filled with keratin, making them an effective defense mechanism against predators.

They are herbivores, primarily feeding on leaves, bark, roots, and fruits. They are also known to occasionally eat insects and small vertebrates.

Asiatic brush-tailed porcupines are found in a variety of habitats, including forests, grasslands, and agricultural areas. They are most commonly found in hilly and mountainous regions.

They are nocturnal and solitary animals, spending their days in burrows or crevices and emerging at night to feed. They are also good climbers and swimmers.

Breeding season for Asiatic brush-tailed porcupines varies depending on their location. Females give birth to one or two young after a gestation period of around 90 days.

Asiatic brush-tailed porcupines are not considered to be endangered, although they may face threats from habitat loss and hunting for their meat and quills.
 
Distribution in Bangladesh
References:
description written by:Asad U. Tanvir,Department of Zoology,Jagannath University,Dhaka; reviewed by:Muntasir Akash,Department of Zoology,University of Dhaka;Taxonomic Checklist:Red List of Bangladesh Volume 2: Mammals, 2015, IUCN; information sources:wikipedia,iucnredlist.org; photo credit:iNaturalist (www.inaturalist.org), photo copyright: iNaturalist.more information please contact with us.