Porcupines are large rodents with coats of sharp spines, or quills, that protect them against predation. A porcupine may have as many as 30,000 quills. Many people do not think of porcupines as a species found in New Jersey, but porcupines are found throughout North America and adapt to a variety of habitats. My wife and I saw our first live porcupine in New Jersey on Thanksgiving Day around noon. My buddy saw one in Sterling Forest last year about 1/2 mile north of the NJ border. They're also highly diverse, though . Can't find any mention of "porcupine" in NJ Game Code, but a 2011 PA "PENN LIVE" news article states that they are not a protected species in NJ. in the gap a few years ago opening day shotgun. Vote Democratic, support USA's largest taxpayer supported employer and urban charitable organization. Abovethe quills of a porcupinejust enough to spell, Dont Mess!. Some fossils, such as species from the family Paramyidae, show resemblance to the porcupine, but they are so primitive and generalized that they could be ancestors to all later rodents. Get updates on the coronavirus pandemic and other news as it happens with our free breaking news email alerts. Their quills are of different lengths. [14][15], The porcupine possesses antibiotics in its skin which may help prevent infection when a porcupine falls out of a tree and is stuck with its own quills upon hitting the ground. Contact your local city or county government to inquire further. Breaking NJ Poetry NewsA Poem Nominated for Pushcart Prize, 2016Thank You, The Westchester Review! They seem to prefer smooth-barked trees. The North American porcupine is one of the largest rodents found in North America, coming second to the North America beaver. But the only live ones I have seen were in Alaska. I really thought he was going to make it, DeGennaro said. its the only way to get fisher population back, Hunting, Trapping, & fishing with my boy is what i love to do in life, I saw on at Whittingham on Saturday as well. In this position they become easier to detach from the body, especially when the tail is swung toward an attacker. After it got about 15 feet up, it suddenly fell, hitting the ground with a loud thud and staggered away. When it was over, the canine was full of quills. Some of these cherrieswere badly damaged by Super Storm Sandy and have been pushed over. Chester, a 9-year-old pit bull-mix, encountered the animal during the early morning hours of Sept. 2 in the . The quills help the porcupine defend themselves from attacks by predators. They weigh around 20 pounds (9 kilograms) and are 2 to 3 feet (60 to 90 centimeters) in length. I read a Pennsylvania article online that said nj actually allows you to take them. Remember that relocating a porcupine beyond the area it was found may not be legal in your area. I have seen plenty of dead porcupines, after all they are nocturnal and slow, not a good combination for our fast paced world. How to protect my trees and shrubs from porcupinesExplore this solution, How to live trap and remove a problem porcupineExplore this solution, How to euthanize problem porcupinesExplore this solution, How to keep porcupines from damaging my vehiclesExplore this solution, How to get porcupines out from under my shed or deckExplore this solution, What to do with an animal that is behaving strangely or aggressivelyExplore this solution, Presented by these government wildlife management agencies as a trusted source for sound, legal and responsible wildlife control and damage prevention advice, In New Jersey, WildlifeHelp.org is supported by the Wildlife Management Institute, the Northeast Wildlife Damage Management Cooperative, the Northeast Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, and the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife. Indian crested porcupine; Long-tailed porcupine; New World Porcupines. The only one I have ever seen was in the same place you saw this one. Porcupine habitats range from deserts, forests and grasslands. It has hairless soles on its feet that help it climb trees. (Miranda DeGennaro/Facebook). Oscar 9--big yellow lapcat if you are here more than 5 minutes. I got out of the car without closing the door, so as to not alarm it. These ones can be found on rocky areas up to 12,000-feet in elevation. They also feed on epigeal plant parts such as leaves, shoots, stems, tree barks and fruits. http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss/192-9728059-6805715?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=in%20the%20valley%20of%20glow%20trees, Poetry, Art Highlight Milford Readers and Writers Festival, 2018, Kerri Nicole McCaffrey Exploring Walpack Center, NJ-the Genesis of Many of Her Poems, Poems, Paintings at Milford Readers and Writers Fest Will Show Human Cost of Tocks Island Project, Hey--here is my latest book of poetry--Orchard Mornings With God, Welcome to Kerri Nicole McCaffrey's Poetry Portal, Breaking New Jersey News NJ Poet Kerri Nicole McCaffrey Nominated for Pushcart Prize, Published in Chronogram Magazine the Poem, "Cannonsville in the Catskills", Kerri Nicole McCaffrey's Green Diva Poetry Reading. And while porcupines are naturally retreating, do not attempt to touch them or you will pay the price! You've heard Pitbulls are ferocious, right? While New Jersey is home to any number of wild animals, one does not often think that porcupines occupy the Garden State. Porcupines' back, sides, and tail are covered with thousands of stiff, needle-like, finely barbed hairs (quills) for defense. As I approached, it raised it quills, then as I didn't come any nearer, lowered them again and continued munching on the tender shoots of wildflowers. Skunks are not even legal in some states where big cats and bears are, such as Nevada and North Carolina. The North American porcupine has a strong odor to warn away predators, which it can increase when agitated. Note that you may encounter a mother and baby porcupine together any time of year. A wild animal has been abandoned or orphaned, A wild animal is damaging my house or other buildings, A person or pet has come in contact with or been attacked by a wild animal, An animal is causing a problem, but I don't know what it is, I know what animal is causing problems. The barbs at the end of the spines lodge in the flesh of a victim and are difficult and painful to remove.[17]. Imagine my surprise when I spotted one on Clinton Road early one evening. http://www.nhptv.org/NatureWorks/porcupine.htm. Porcupines have expanded their range into central Pennsylvania | PennLive.com. Im devastated.. There it will try to present its hindquarters and tail to the attacker, with the predator circling around and attempting to attack the prey. A family in New Jersey is mourning the loss of their pit bull after it was killed by a porcupine earlier this month. They do not hibernate, but sleep in and stay close to their dens in winter. Biologists re-introduced Fishers from New Hampshire and possibly Maine to the north central part of Pa. That region was picked because of its abundant porupine population and the Fisher have flourished and spread into N.E.Pa and North New Jersey.Following the Kittatiny ridge (Porcupine habitat). dont shoot the porcupines. Check local regulations before attempting this. They have a stocky body, a small face, short legs, and a short, thick tail. Zielinski, W. J., Duncan, N. P., Farmer, E. C., Truex, R. L., Clevenger, A. P., & Barrett, R. H. (1999). While we attempt to provide guidance about state and federal regulations pertaining to specific species and control techniques, we do not provide information about local jurisdictions (city, town, county, etc.) [24][34] However, in some cases porcupine quills have indeed killed cougars, although usually this is after the cougar has already consumed the porcupine.[35][36]. It grows up to 15 inches (38 cm) long. Plywood is especially vulnerable because of the salts added during manufacture. A New Jersey family is devastated after their dog's run-in with a porcupine proved fatal. A New Jersey family is devastated after their dog's run-in with a porcupine proved fatal. Porcupines have interesting tracks, too! Porcupines have been seemingly having no troubles eating in the forests around the cottage. I saw 2 at the Water Gap last month.One was dead on the road near Millbrook.The other one walked up to me and climbed a tree while I was at my truck getting ready. Cape porcupines are also considered generalist foragers, and they consume diverse types of food depending on their . This is an exceptional number of species for a state as small as New Jersey. Size varies according to species, ranging from 25 to 36 inches long plus an 8 to 10 inch tail. They are very slow, attaining a maximum speed . While a vet successfully removed the quills from his face and mouth there were well over 20 quills stuck in his chest/abdomen. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission, which supports our community. Porcupines are a type of rodent found in two main regions of the world, so scientists group them into either Old World or New World porcupines. They are used primarily for defense, but also serve to insulate their bodies during winter. For porcupines, urination can be romantic. Our craft takes hard work and a single focus to be the best at what we do. Porcupines weigh 2.5 to 77 lbs. While it is rare, porcupines can contract rabies, so report any bites or scratches immediately. i pay to hunt here.do you "pay to hike here". A 1st for him this close to NJ and he's been hunting nearly 50 years. Come learn with us the best practices for any bulldog owner and be sure to subscribe to our wonderful YouTube community at PawsGeek! New World Porcupines. A family in New Jersey is mourning the loss of their pit bull after it was killed by a porcupine earlier this month. [7] The porcupine's scientific name, Erethizon dorsatum, can be loosely translated as "the animal with the irritating back". Skunks. [16][disputed discuss], The most distinguishing feature of the porcupine is its coat of quills. i have not seen a porcupine in NJ in my 40yrs of hunting, if the rabbit did't stop to take a shit the fox Wouldn't got him just saying. Porcupines back, sides, and tail are covered with thousands of stiff, needle-like, finely barbed hairs (quills) for defense. My wife and I saw our first live porcupine in New Jersey on Thanksgiving Day around noon. While the quills are not poisonous, they can carry bacteria that could cause infection, VCAs website says. ABOUT. There are approximately 450 species of vertebrate wildlife which can be found within the Garden State, along with 85 freshwater fish. A North American porcupine sports a good 30,000 quills, each one armed with 700 or 800 barbs on the four millimeters closest to the tip, according to Science magazine. The smell has been described as similar to strong human body odor, goats, or some cheeses. Other predators, such as canids (wolves and coyotes), may attack but do not pose much of a threat. These rodents use their quills as their defense. If you like the outdoors and think nature is awesome, then you should try my book of poems! The fisher will then climb down the tree . In New Jersey, porcupines are most likely to be found in the northern and western parts of the state. It has a strong warning odor which it can increase when agitated. If you or your pet getstuck with quills, call your doctor or veterinarian. These live in riparian forests, mesquite scrubland, grasslands, and thorn forests. See also Do Porcupines Shoot Quills. When approached, the porcupine can swing its tail at an attacker's face. Scientific name Erethizontidae, New World porcupines are found mainly in North, Central, and South America. [11], Porcupines are usually dark brown or black in color, with white highlights. You can live trap a porcupine using a wire cage trap or wooden box trap with minimum dimensions of 10-inches x 12-inches x 32-inches. New Jersey tied for first place (with Kentucky) with 43% growth in the craft beer scene from 2015 to 2019, according to C+R Research. It has a round body, small ears and a small head. I saw one off trail at The Atlantic County Park at Estel Manor. Porcupine young may nurse for up to four months, and while some may disperse as early as five months. A dog succumbed to his injuries after a run-in with a porcupine in rural New Jersey. They eat the cabins up there. We have raised, trained, and cared for many pets, including bulldogs in our lifetime. Our general advice has been to never approach wildlife. MONTAGUE, New Jersey (WABC) -- A family in New Jersey is mourning the loss of their dog after he got into a fight with a porcupine. 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