Kloof Conservancy BioGuide - Cape Porcupine
Mass 30kg max
Lifespan 12-15 years in the wild
The porcupine is the largest rodent in southern Africa. It has a distinctive appearance with its protective body covering of long rigid quills and flexible spines, banded in black and white. A crest of erectile long coarse hairs runs from the top of the head along the neck to the shoulder. The crest is raised with the quills when the animal is alarmed or angry. The head and snout are broad, with small rounded ears and small eyes. The legs are short and stoutly built, with heavily clawed feet. The short tail is surrounded by a number of short, hollow and open-ended quills. These produce a characteristic rattling when the tail is shaken, serving as a warning.
Porcupines live in extended family groups including both parents and their young of several years. Each group has a distinct territory. TheCape Porcupine is primarily nocturnal, although it may be seen during the day. They have quite acute hearing and will freeze when approached by predators, such as big cats, large predatory birds, or hyaenas. When cornered, these porcupines can be aggressive, running sideways or backwards to embed their sharp quills in an attacker.
Cape porcupines are mostly vegetarian, using their strong digging claws to get roots, tubers, and bulbs. They are also fond of fallen fruits and will sometimes gnaw on bark. Their anterior large intestine and enlarged appendix contain microorganisms that break down undigested plant fibers. They have also been reported to eat carrion in some instances. In areas deficient in phosphorous they practice osteophagia, or gnawing on bones. These porcupines will often accumulate large piles of bones in their dens.
Male porcupines reach sexual maturity between eight and eighteen months, while females reach sexual maturity between nine and sixteen months. Because of their dangerous anatomy, females initiate copulation by presenting to the males. Gestation lasts for three months. The young are born in litters of one to four into a grass-lined chamber in the parents' den during the wet months of August to March. The average litter size is 1 and the average newborn mass is 311g. Young are born relatively well-developed, with their eyes open and teeth present. They have soft quills and spines at birth, most likely to ease the birthing process but they quickly harden in the air. The young grow rapidly, reaching full size in about a year. They nurse for three to four months at which point they will weigh four to five kilograms.
Cape Porcupines are found from sea level to 2000 m above sea level in most areas with vegetation. They prefer rocky hills and outcrops, as they must have shelter during the day. They often take shelter in caves or antbear holes. They also build dens which can be up to 20m long with a 2m deep living.
They are considered a nuisance by many farmers who shoot them. In Krantzkloof they have no local enemies.
More recently porcupine quills have become sought after both as components of ornamental jewellery and décor items. There is concern that the populations will not be able to sustain the pressure of hunting to supply this demand.
Cape Porcupine are very common in Krantzkloof NR and are found throughout the reserve. As they are nocturnal they are seldom seen but their quills can be often found on the trails.
There are no local predators.
Porcupines are classified as rodents – these are basically animals that gnaw things. The word rodent comes from a Latin word that means “to gnaw” (naw). The name porcupine comes from the French, porc espin (spined pig).
It is often believed that porcupines can “shoot” quills backwards but this is not true.
Imisa 30kg max
Ukuphila 12 - 15 years in the wild
Ingungumbane isilwane esiququdayo esikhulu kakhulu eMzansi ne-Afrika. Sinokubukeka okuhlukile nomzimba ovikelekile ombozwe ngezinde izinungu kanye nomfunkulu ogobekayo, umushwe omnyama nomhlophe. Ukuma kwesiqhova kunamaholo oboya amade ahamba kusuka phezulu ekhanda azungeze intamo kuye kufike emahlombe. Ukuma kwesiqhova nezinungu ngenkathi isiununane sixwayisa noma sidinwa. Ikhanda nempumulo kundlaleka, nezindlebe ezincane ezizindilinga namehlo amancane. Imilenze mifishane yaba mikhulu ngokwakheka, kanye nezidladla zezinyawo ezisindayo. Umsila omfishane ozungezwe isibalo samaqubu nezinungu ezivulekile okufishane. Lokhu kukhiqiza isidale semikhehlekhehle ngenkathi isisila sitshikiza, senza njengesexwayiso.
Izingungumbane zihlala ngamaqoqo emindeni eyandisiwe kubalwa abazali bobabili nabancane babo beminyaka eminingi. Iqoqo gabalinye lihlukene imibuso. Ingungumbane yase-Afrika aqalisa ngobusuku, nakuba engabonakala nasemini. Anodlebe olubukhali okunganqamuka uma ebona kusondela isilwane esiyingozi, njengamabhubesi, nezinyoni ezinkulu eziyingozi noma izimpisi. Uma ezithukusile, lezingungumbane zingaba nodlame, agijimele emaceleni nasemuva embela izinungu ze ezohlasela.
Izingungumbane zase-Afrika ngokuvamile zidla imifino, zisebenzisa lezidladla zazo eziqinile zokumba ukuthola izimpande, izigaxa, kanye nezimpande eziyindilinga. Zibuye zithande izithelo eziwile kanti kwesinye isikhathi ziququda amaxolo. Amathumbu amakhulu angaphambili abuye akhulise aphathe konke okuphilayo anqamula izitshalo ezingagayisekanga. Kuke kwabikwa ngokudla ingcuba uma kwenzeka. Ezindaweni eziswele ifosiforasi zizama owelapha ngokulungisa amathambo nomaziququde amathambo. Lezingungumbana zinokujwayela ukuthi aqongelele inqwaba enkulu yamathambo kwimihume yazo.
Ezesilisa izingungumbane zifinyelela ebulilini bokukhula phakathi kwezinyanga ezisishiyagalombilinezilishumi kanye nesishiyagalombili, kanjalo ezesifazane zifinyelela ebulilini bokukhula phakathi kwezinyanga ezisishiyagalolunyeneziyishumi nesithupha. Ngenxa yobungozi be-anathomi, wesifazane aqalisa ukuhlangana nbokuzethula kwawesilisa. Ukumitha kuthatha izinyanga ezintathu. Amancane azalwa ngokufuhluzwa ngalinye kuya kwamane emakamelweni ngotshani. Kwimihume yabazali ngesikhathi senyanga yemvula uNcwaba kuyaku-Ndasa. Isikalo sokufuhluza isilinganiso esisodwa kanti isikalo sesisindo sokusanda kuzalwa siwu 331g. Elincane lizalwa linokukhula kahle, amehlo evulekile namazinyo ekhona. Anezinungu ezithambile nomqolo uma ezalwa, ngokuvama athanda intokomalo ohlelweni lokuzala kodwa ayashesha ukuqina emoyeni. Amancane akhula ngokushesha, afinyelele esilinganisweni esigcwele onyakeni. Atatanyiswa izinyanga ezintathu kuya kwezine khona kulesosikhathi angasinda isisindo esine kuya kusihlanu.
Ahlala kwi-nyakatho Afrika, ningizimu Afrika kanye ne-Mpumalanga Afrika.
Ezase-Afrika izingungumbane zitholakala kusuka esilinganisweni solwandle kuyaku 2000m ngaphezu kolwandle ezindaweni ezinhle nezinemifino. Ancamela izintaba ezinamatshe kanye nasemadwaleni, njengoba zingaba nompheme osukwini. Zivame ukuthatha imipheme emigedeni noma kwimigodi yesambane. Zibuye zakhe imihume engafinyelela ku 20m ubude no 2m ukujula.
Anokucabanga ngezinhlupho ngabalimi abaning abazidubulayo. E-Krantzkloof awanazitha eziningiendaweni. Kungekudala nje izinungu kade zifuneka kokubili kuxubene nokuhlobisa imigexo nezinto zomhlobiso. Bekunokuthi umphakathi awukwazi.Ukusekela ingcindezi yokuzingela ukusabalalisa umandla.
Izingungumbane zase-Koloni zitholakala kakhulu e-Krantzkloof NR kanye namaphakathi nesiqiwu ayatholakala. Njengoba ehamba ebusuku kuyivela kancane ukuwabona kodwa izinungu zawo zinokutholakala emihosheni. Abekho abazingeli bazo endaweni.
Izingungumbane zichazwe njengezilumanyo-kafishane ayilesilwane esiququda izinto. Igama roden livela egameni lesi Latin elichaza “to gnaw” (naw) gedla ququda. Igama porcupine livela kwisi-French, porc (spined pig) “ingungumbane” Kunomqondo wokukholwa ukuthi ingungumbane ingakuciba ngezinungu ibhekise emuva kodwa akusilo iqiniso.