Wildlife Management Slide Show created by the USFS in 1938. Transcribed from original program. 39..The unsociable, dull-witted, but greatly respected citizen of the forest. Contrary to popular belief, the porcupine does not, and cannot throw its quills. When attacked, it ducks its head, arches its back,, and throws its tail from side to side; an enemy unfamiliar with its habits frequently gets a face full of quills when struck by the darting tail. The porcupine is an accomplished climber, and when the snow is deep, spends the winter in the tree tops. During this period it lives on nothing but the bark of the host tree; a single porcupine destroys considerable coniferous timber by the girdling of, usually the upper parts of the tree where the bark is tender and green. A dead or pike top in such trees is the result of such work and this of course terminates height growth. In summer the porcupine feeds entirely on the ground on herbaceous vegetation and roots. During the period it is a menace to livestock and many animals die annually as a result of encounters with it. Porcupines are not protected by law in the Rocky Mountain region. Its chief value is probably that of providing food for cats, coyotes and fisher.
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