VMD 512: Zoo/Wild Animal Breeding, Management, Nutrition and Health Care (1+1)

PORCUPINE AND INDIAN GIANT SQUIRREL

Porcupine (Hystrix indica)

• Hair are modified into spines and rolls into a ball when in protest. Each quill is with more deep brown or black and white rings.
• They gnaw the bones, dropped antlers, barks etc.
• They are nocturnal in nature
• Quills damaged are replaced
• Intelligent animal and drives the quill by forcibly placing the hindquarters with quills against the attacking animal

Indian giant squirrel (Ratufa indica)

• These rodents also prefer the higher trees for a living in forests.
• These squirrels like others have the habit of makes sounds towards all directions like monkeys.
• Loud rattling call of these species are very famous.
• An individual Indian giant squirrel may build nests in many trees within a small area.
• Lives alone or pairs.