Gives quick facts, some pictures, and a description of the animal. The porcupine is a mediumsized rodent, related to mice and rats and beaver. An adult animal is about 50 cm long 20 inches, not counting the tail, and weighs from 4.5 to 13 kg 10 to 28 pounds. Long black and brown guard hairs cover its body and quills are mixed in among them. Quills are really modified hairs. Porcupines are nocturnal, which means they are actively primarily at night. In winter they like to munch on bark and evergreen needles. In summer they wander around fields and orchards in search of warm weather snacks, such as grasses, leaves, dandelions, clover and other wildflowers. Porcupines can swim, so pond weeds, water lilies, and arrowhead are all part of the summer diet.

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