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By Casey Spinler
Geographic Range
Hystrix pumila is found on the Philippine islands of Busuanga, Palawan, and Balabac also known as the Palawan Faunal Region. ("Field Museum", 2002; "Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia", 2005; "Palawan Council for Sustainable Development", 2004)
Other Geographic Terms:
island endemic 
.
Habitat
( to 11480 ft)
Hystrix pumila prefers lowlands, primary forests, secondary forests, caves (including old mine shafts), and sometimes burrows. Burrows may hold up to ten individuals. Sometimes H. pumila individuals make nests of plant material within dens. Preferred habitat of Indonesian porcupines consists of grassland and agricultural mosaic, abandoned and active plantations, and also rugged areas. ("Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia", 2005; "Palawan Council for Sustainable Development", 2004; Nowak, 1991)
These animals are found in the following types of habitat:
tropical ; terrestrial .
Other:
suburban ; agricultural ; caves.
Physical Description
(8.36 to 11.88 lbs)
(16.54 to 36.61 in)
Tail length of Hystrix pumila ranges from 2.5 to 19 cm. Indonesian porcupines have short nasal bones, an enlarged infraorbital foramen, and a hystricognathous lower jaw. They have a stocky build, small eyes, small ears, and has a short rounded head with no head or neck mane. The dorsal coloring is dark brown to black with light speckles, the underside is brown to gray-white. The quills are flattened, with longer rigidity near the tip. Tail quills have shorter open-ended quills that rattle loudly. The hair is bristle-like. The forefeet have four well developed digits while the hind feet have five digits. Indonesian porcupines have short claws and the soles of the feet are smooth and naked. ("Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia", 2005; Nowak, 1991)
Some key physical features:
endothermic ; homoiothermic; bilateral symmetry .
Sexual dimorphism: male larger.
Reproduction
Indonesian porcupines breed once yearly.
Breeding occurs from March to December.
Indonesian porcupines are monogamous. After attracting a mate, female H. pumila raise their rear and tail high while her chest is on the ground. The male then proceeds to mount the female by clasping her sides with its front paws and balancing on its hind feet. ("Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia", 2005; Dingwall, 1986; Nowak, 1991)
Mating systems:
monogamous .
Indonesian porcupines usually have one young in each litter, sometimes two. In their lifetime, they can have from 6 to 12 young. Indonesian porcupines begin to eat solids at two weeks old, even though they are still receiving milk from their mother. They breed from March to December. ("Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia", 2005; Sherrow, 1991)
Key reproductive features:
iteroparous ; seasonal breeding ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual ; viviparous .
Like other mammals, female Indonesian porcupines nurse and care for their young until they are independent. Males typically are not involved in caring for young. (Dingwall, 1986; Sherrow, 1991)
Parental investment:
precocial ; pre-fertilization (provisioning, protecting: female); pre-hatching/birth (provisioning: female, protecting: female); pre-weaning/fledging (provisioning: female, protecting: female); pre-independence (protecting: female).
Lifespan/Longevity
Indonesian porcupines live 9 to 15 years in the wild. A captive individual lived for 9.5 years. ("Mak Planck Institute for Demographic Research", 2002; Sherrow, 1991)
Behavior
Indonesian porcupines are solitary creatures, except when mating or caring for young. They move up to 16 kilometers at night when searching for food. Indonesian porcupines den in rock crevices or under tree buttresses. These porcupines walk heavily on the soles of their feet and run with a shuffling gait. If Indonesian porcupines feel threatened, they raise their quills. If that does not work, they stamp their feet, move their quills, and charge backward at their opponent. ("Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia", 2005; Dingwall, 1986; Nowak, 1991; Sherrow, 1991)
Home Range
Home range size of Indonesian porcupines is not reported. ("Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia", 2005; "Palawan Council for Sustainable Development", 2004)
Communication and Perception
Male Indonesian porcupines use vocalizations to attract females for mating. They use hums, whines, and grunts. Also, males urinate on females. When a mate is found, the male and female dance on their hind legs and whine and hum together. They sniff each other and put their paws on each other’s shoulder and sometimes rub noses. ("Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia", 2005; Dingwall, 1986)
Indonesian porcupines have a keen sense of smell, which they use to locate food. They have poor eyesight. ("Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia", 2005; Dingwall, 1986)
Food Habits
Indonesian porcupines feed on vegetation, including coconuts, roots, bulbs, tubers, fruits, and berries. Sometimes they will feed on small vertebrates, insects, or carrion. They gnaw on bones for calcium and otherwise gnaw on branches, tree bark, and tree trunks to wear down their ever growing incisors. ("Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia", 2005; "Palawan Council for Sustainable Development", 2004; Dingwall, 1986)
Animal Foods:
mammals; amphibians; carrion ; insects.
Plant Foods:
leaves; roots and tubers; wood, bark, or stems; seeds, grains, and nuts; fruit.
Predation
Indonesian porcupines, like other porcupines, use their formidable quills to defend themselves against predators. There are no known predators in the wild. ("Palawan Council for Sustainable Development", 2004)
Ecosystem Roles
Indonesian porcupines aid in seed dispersal through the defecation of seeds of fruit they have eaten. ("Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia", 2005; Dingwall, 1986; Nowak, 1991; Sherrow, 1991)
Key ways these animals impact their ecosystem:
disperses seeds.
- fleas (Siphonaptera)
- ticks (Acari)
Economic Importance for Humans: Negative
Indonesian porcupines are seen as nuisance animals on coconut plantations and in other areas as they gnaw on trees and leaves. They may transmit diseases due to the ticks and fleas they carry. ("Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia", 2005; "Palawan Council for Sustainable Development", 2004)
Ways that these animals might be a problem for humans:
injures humans (carries human disease); crop pest.
Economic Importance for Humans: Positive
Indonesian porcupines are hunted for their meat. Also, the quills of H. pumila can be collected for ornaments and talismans. ("Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia", 2005; "Palawan Council for Sustainable Development", 2004)
Ways that people benefit from these animals:
food ; body parts are source of valuable material.
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List: [link]:
Lower Risk - Least Concern.
US Federal List: [link]:
No special status.
CITES: [link]:
No special status.
Hystrix pumila populations are considered stable. ("Palawan Council for Sustainable Development", 2004)
For More Information
Find Hystrix pumila information at
Contributors
Tanya Dewey (editor), Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.
Casey Spinler (author), University of Wisconsin Stevens Point. Chris Yahnke (editor, instructor), University of Wisconsin Stevens Point.
