North American Porcupine

Porcupines are strict vegetarians and eat leaves, twigs, fruit, green plants and even the bark off of trees. They are excellent climbers and spend a lot of time in trees. They are primarily nocturnal and during the day will rest in the hollow of a tree or log, as well as underground burrows and caves. Porcupines can have up to 30,000 quills, their main form of defense. These are actually modified hair with a barbed tip (and, no, they cannot throw their quills) that protect them from predators. They are a common resident found on the refuge.