The North American porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum), also known as the Canadian porcupine or common porcupine, is a large rodent in the New World porcupine family. The beaver is the only larger rodent in North America. The porcupine is a caviomorph rodent whose ancestors rafted across the Atlantic from Africa to Brazil over 30 million years ago, and then invaded North America during the Great American Interchange after the Isthmus of Panama rose 3 million years ago.
This animal is usually found in coniferous and mixed forested areas in Canada, Alaska and much of the northern and western United States, although rare, sustainable, breeding populations of porcupines are known to exist in West Virginia and in smaller numbers in nearby regions of western Virginia. They are also found in thicketed areas in shrublands, tundra and deserts as far south as northern Mexico. They make their dens in holes in trees or in rocky areas.
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