Animals That Use Their Spikes as Tools
North American Porcupine
Category: Defense
30,000 Quills
30,000 quills. That’s a scary amount of possibly painful meetings. When the North American porcupine is attacked, it swipes at its attacker with its tail. And it’s covered with up to 30,000 quills! But the porcupine goes one further. The 2.7 inches (7 cm) long quills on its tail aren’t just horribly pointy and sharp, but also have nasty barbs on them. Ouch!
Old World Porcupine
Category: Defense
It Makes Even Lions Cry
When threatened, the African porcupine swings its tail at its attacker, which has 13.7 inches (35 cm) long quills with nasty barbs. Its attacks cause painful, festering wounds. Believe it or not, it’s not uncommon for big, powerful animals like lions to die of these wounds.
Hedgehog
Category: Defense
A Feathery Pincushion For Defense
For a hedgehog, spines are like life insurance. Once it rolls up into a ball, the animal's spikes are the only thing visible. It is protected from predators in all directions (except for cars).
- Table of Contents:
- 1. Pufferfish, Thorny Devil
- 2. Porcupine, Hedgehog
- 3. Stingray, Sea Urchin, Cone Snail
