Can Only Be Shipped Within the US

The African crested porcupine Hystrix cristata is the largest porcupine in the world. It lives in hilly, rocky habitats in sub-Saharan Africa, North Africa and Italy.   The sharp, sturdy quills of the African crested porcupine give it highly effective protection against predators. Its body is covered with coarse quills 1 to 13 inches long and of varying thicknesses. Its most heavily armed area is its hindquarters, which have short, thick quills. it is confronted by a predator, the African crested porcupine raises the 12 to 13-inch quills along its head and back into a crest so its body appears larger and more threatening. If this strategy doesn't chase off the predator, the porcupine stamps its feet, clicks its teeth, and rattles its hollow-tipped tail quills. If this fails, it runs backwards and rams the attacker with the short, thick quills on its backside. The tips of its quills lodge in its enemy's skin, and the resulting wounds can disable or even kill the predator. Porcupines have been known to injure lions, leopards, hyenas, even humans.