There is only one species of porcupine in Wisconsin, the North American porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum). Worldwide there are 23 different species of porcupines. Our porcupine is the second largest rodent in North America, only beavers are larger. Their size ranges from 7-30 pounds and 20-26 inches.
Are there wild porcupines in Wisconsin?
Photo by Roy Lukes. The porcupine, a mammal native to Wisconsin, is the second largest rodent in North America. It doesn’t hibernate and, with luck, may be seen in wooded areas throughout the year.
Where do porcupines live in Wisconsin?
They can weigh 30 pounds or more in summer but their weight drops dramatically during the lean months of winter. Porcupines live in the northern two-thirds of the state in a territory that extends in a V-shape from about the Ellsworth area in Pierce County down to Wisconsin Dells and back up toward Green Bay.
Are there porcupines in northern Wisconsin?
The porcupine’s natural range is the northern half of Wisconsin, where they roam throughout the year. They do not hibernate, or become dormant like bears do.
Can you shoot porcupines in Wisconsin?
Porcupines are not a game animal; in fact, they are an unregulated animal in Wisconsin. This means they can be shot when causing damage, they can legally be live trapped and relocated, and they can be legally captured and kept as pets if you wanted to do that for some reason.
Are there any wolverines in Wisconsin?
Description. Wolverines are large omnivores, primarily scavengers, in the weasel family (Mustelidae). Although wolverines did occur historically in the Great Lakes region, there is currently no evidence of a breeding population in Minnesota, Wisconsin, or Michigan.
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.
How common are porcupines in Wisconsin?
Porcupines occur in the Northern and Central Forest regions of Wisconsin. To date, we have had 4,175 reports of porcupine from trail camera hosts.
Where do porcupines sleep?
Porcupines are primarily nocturnal animals who rest during the day in hollow trees and logs, underground burrows or in crevices found in rocky areas.
What will eat a porcupine?
Their quills come off easily when touched, and their sharp tips and overlapping scales or barbs that make them difficult to remove. Even so, porcupines are preyed upon by co-adapted predators including lynx, bobcats, coyotes, wolves, wolverines, great horned owls, mountain lions and fishers.
What do porcupines eat in the winter?
Porcupines forage on shrubs, crops, wild flowers, clover, leaves, acorns, tender Page 2 Porcupine Fact Sheet 2 twigs, roots, seeds, buds, and leaves in spring and summer. In winter, they eat needles and the bark of trees, such as hemlocks, birch, beech, aspen, elm, oak, willow, spruce, fir, and pine.
Are porcupines a pest?
Porcupines that trespass into residential or commercial areas are known to create a lot of trouble and inflict significant property damage. Most notably, Porcupines like to destroy trees by eating bark and branches. Any gardens or vegetation are at risk of being destroyed as well.
What animals eat porcupines?
Even with all their defenses, porcupines are preyed upon by a several predators. The list includes lynx, bobcats, coyotes, wolves, wolverines, and great horned owls. Important predators include mountain lions and fishers. Mountain lions and fishers have different stratgies for attacking porcupines.
Can I shoot a raccoon on my property Wisconsin?
29.337 Hunting and trapping by landowners and occupants. (1) The owner or occupant of any land, and any member of his or her family, may hunt or trap beaver, coyotes, foxes, raccoons, woodchucks, rabbits, and squirrels on the land without a license issued under this chapter or ch.
Are porcupines bad for trees?
If porcupines remove the bark all the way around the trunk or a branch (girdling it), then the trunk or branch will be killed from that point up or out. This will weaken the tree and make it more vulnerable to damage from diseases, insects, and birds.
Are porcupines protected?
Porcupines are considered nongame animals and are not protected.
What is the deadliest animal in the state of Wisconsin?
There are two rattlesnakes on Wisconsin’s most dangerous animals list. One is the timber rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus), and the other is the eastern massasauga aka ‘the swamp rattler. ‘ These are both venomous snakes but are rare predators of anything but rodents.
What big cats live in Wisconsin?
Wisconsin has three species of indigenous felids (cats). These include the aforementioned mountain lion, or cougar, which has been making its comeback in the state in recent years after being considered extirpated, the Canadian lynx (Lynx canadensis), and the bobcat (Lynx rufus).
Do black panthers live in Wisconsin?
The cougar – also known as a puma, mountain lion or panther – are native to Wisconsin. However, hundreds of years of hunting have reduced their population.
What is the lifespan of a porcupine?
Life Span. In the Wild: 5-7 years; In Human Care: up to 18 years.
What are porcupines favorite food?
In the spring and summer, porcupines shift to eating berries, seeds, grasses, leaves, roots and stems. At the Smithsonian’s National Zoo, the porcupines eat herbivore pellets and a variety of fruits, vegetables and greens. Their favorite food item is corn on the cob.