All porcupines have quills and while no porcupines shoot their quills, not all quills are the same. Porcupines evolved quills to help keep them safe from predators. Quills are modified hairs, they have become harder and thicker, and in some cases have also developed barbs on the end, like in the north American porcupines, which keeps the quills imbedded in the predators. African crested porcupines, like the ones who live at The Preserve, have developed 2 different types of quills. The first type is a warning system: when the porcupine feels threatened, it can rattle special hollow quills on its tail as a warning to predators.

But if the predator continues its pursuit, crested porcupines can use their strong pointy quills by backing into their attacker. These quills are more loosely attached to the skin and can possibly get stuck in the predator, distracting them long enough that the porcupine can make its escape. Since the quills are modified hair, just like hair sheds, quills will also fall out all on their own.

Porcupines are prickly