Biodiversity
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Porcupine
Sphiggurus villosus | F. Cuvier, 1823
PHOTO: Property of Native / Embrapa
Characteristics: Species measuring about 60cm in length and with a tail measuring about 25cm. Its back is a shade of dark yellowish-brown, hiding a large number of sulfur-colored spikes measuring 4cm in length, black on the base and lighter in color at the tip. Its neck, chest, and belly have no thorns, and its flexible tail has a thorny front and back with stiff fur. Its limbs have 4 fingers, with very curved nails.
Distribution: Brazil, Paraguay, and Northeastern Argentina.
Habitat: Forests of the Atlantic Coast.
Habits: An arboreal species, it often looks for food in trees, on which it climbs easily and safety.
Diet: Herbivorous, feeding mainly of guavas, bananas, plums, etc.
Breeding: The gestation period ranges from 60 to 70 days, with one pup per litter.
In the UFRA area: The porcupine's spatial distribution was restricted to the organic sugarcane fields and native forests. It was spotted only 2 times, and is considered rare in this region.