06/02/2025
The North American porcupine is one of the largest rodents in Alaska, second only to the beaver
A single porcupine can have up to 30,000 quills covering its body.
The inner bark of spruce, birch, hemlock and spruce needles are the major winter foods for porcupines in Alaska. In spring and summer, they eat buds and young green leaves of birch, aspen, cottonwood, and willow until the tannin levels build too high to tolerate.
Porcupines also feed on shed antlers and the bones of dead animals to obtain sodium and calcium.
Unlike most porcupines who are solitary creatures, Alaskan porcupines during exceptionally harsh winters might huddle together for warmth in dens like hollow logs or rock crevices. This is a rare behavior for the species, showcasing their ability to adapt to extreme conditions.
