Native to northern Appalachia, porcupines have been slowly migrating south into West Virginia. In some corners of West Virginia, resident rodents such as squirrels and beavers are sharing habitat with their slow-moving, short-sighted and very prickly cousin—the porcupine.
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Are there porcupines in WV?
Porcupines are not a protected species in West Virginia. In Pennsylvania, the state game commission instituted a hunting season on porcupines a few years ago. The 2020-2021 season is from Oct.
What states are porcupines found in?
The North American porcupine can be found in most of Canada and the western United States south to Mexico. In the eastern United States, it can be found in Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, New York and New England.
What states do not have porcupines?
Porcupines occur naturally in the western and northern United States, from Alaska to Pennsylvania and far into Canada. They have not appeared in any of the southern states, except for mountains in Virginia, but you are correct that armadillos and coyotes are relatively recent migrants to many areas of the Southeast.
Where can porcupines be found?
North American porcupines are native to the coniferous and mixed-forest habitats of Canada, the northeastern and western regions of the United States and northern Mexico. Besides forests, porcupines can also be found in grasslands, desert shrub communities and even tundra.
What pets are illegal in West Virginia?
West Virginia
Dangerous non-native wild animals include bears, elephants, gray wolves, big cats, rhinoceroses, many primates, and more. You are allowed to keep ferrets and lemurs as pets.
Do porcupines shoot their quills?
Porcupines have soft hair, but on their back, sides, and tail it is usually mixed with sharp quills.Porcupines cannot shoot them at predators as once thought, but the quills do detach easily when touched. Many animals come away from a porcupine encounter with quills protruding from their own snouts or bodies.
What states have the most porcupines?
In the United States, they roam throughout both western and northern regions. These yellowish-brown creatures also reside in the northeast — think Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and New York — although in significantly smaller numbers. Alaska is also home to a sizable North American porcupine population.
Are porcupines good for anything?
Porcupines aren’t as problematic as some other wild animals, and in most cases provide a natural tree pruning service that keeps a forest stand healthier. Unlike beaver or rabbits, porcupines can ascend tree trunks and nibble on branches. Dropping twigs and fruit to the forest floor benefits other wildlife down below.
What eats a porcupine?
Even so, porcupines are preyed upon by co-adapted predators including lynx, bobcats, coyotes, wolves, wolverines, great horned owls, mountain lions and fishers.
Does Florida have porcupines?
Porcupines are found primarily in the western half of the U.S. and are not a resident mammal in Cape Coral, Southwest Florida or any other area in the state.Porcupine quills protect them from predators, such as your dog.
Where do porcupines live in winter?
During winter the porcupine does not hibernate. However, it does not usually move far and feeds within 100 m of its den. During snow or rain it will remain in the den or, if outside feeding, will sit hunched in a tree, even during subzero weather, until the rain or snow stops.
Do porcupines fall out of trees?
Porcupines fall out of trees fairly often because they are highly tempted by the succulent buds and twigs at the ends of the branches.
Do porcupines come out during the day?
It is primarily nocturnal, mostly active at night, but does forage during the day. When not seeking cover from the weather orfishers, the porcupine spends most of its time in the trees feeding and resting.
Where do most porcupines live?
Habitat. In general, porcupines live in just about any terrain, including deserts, grasslands, mountains, rainforests and forests. Dens in tree branches or tangles of roots, rock crevices, brush or logs are the porcupine’s home.
What’s the difference between a hedgehog and a porcupine?
What is the difference between a hedgehog and a porcupine? Hedgehogs are smaller in size than porcupines in both length and weight. Secondly, while porcupines are rodents, hedgehogs are not categorized as rodents. Porcupines have more quills than a hedgehog and a porcupine’s quills are longer.
Are alligators legal in West Virginia?
One of the exotic animals that first caught my eye when doing research was alligators and crocodiles.The only reptile you can’t own in wv is a komodo dragon, any other reptile is fair game and you don’t need a permit for it.
Can you shoot a dog on your property in West Virginia?
No, it is typically NOT legal to kill a dog. The best way to protect your dog is make sure that it is registered with the County. While all dogs are personal property, they typically are seen to have little value in a civil case.
Can you own a skunk in West Virginia?
It is currently legal to own domesticated skunks in only 17 states: Alabama, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
Are porcupines good pets?
Yes, it’s possible to pet a porcupine, and a number of states allow you to keep one as a pet.Porcupines can be trained to a degree — and some even grow to be affectionate toward humans — but bear in mind they’re solitary creatures who can become violent when agitated.
What does porcupine taste like?
The roots of “porcupine” come from the Latin porcus, meaning pig, and spina meaning spine. Roughly translated this could be read as “quill pig” or “spine pig.” If I had to compare the taste of porcupine with a common food, it would be pork.
