Meet Our Animals > Prehensile-tailed Porcupine

Quick Facts

Native to South American forests of Venezuela, Guiana, Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, Trinidad, and some extreme northern sections of Argentina

Primary Diet Leaves, flowers, shoots, roots and the cambium layer found beneath the bark of some trees

Adult Weight 4 to 11 pounds

Lifespan ~12 years

Status Least Concern

Prehensile-tailed Porcupine

Prehensile-tailed porcupines are arboreal animals, spending most of their time in trees. These porcupines are also nocturnal, and are known to move to a new tree each day. The species is named after their prehensile tails, which they use for grasping and hanging in trees.