Cape porcupines are the second largest rodents in Africa and also the world's second largest porcupines. They weigh from 10 to 24 kilograms (22 to 53 pounds), with exceptionally large specimens weighing up to 30 kg (66 lb).
By Steven Lek - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=42967249
The body is covered in long spines up to 50 centimetres (20 in) in length, interspersed with thicker, sharply pointed, defence quills up to 30 centimetres (12 in) long.
Cape porcupines eat mostly plant material: fruits, roots, tubers, bulbs, and bark. They are often considered pests by local farmers, because they can feed on crops and damage trees.
Cape porcupines are nocturnal and monogamous, typically living as mated pairs of adults, caring for any young together. Each pair may inhabit up to six burrows, jointly defending their shared territory, although they typically forage as individuals.
When attacked, the porcupine freezes. If cornered, it turns vicious and charges to stab its attacker with its quills. Otherwise, the porcupine may retreat into its burrow, exposing only its quills and making it hard to dislodge.
Cape porcupines eat mostly plant material: fruits, roots, tubers, bulbs, and bark. They are often considered pests by local farmers, because they can feed on crops and damage trees.
Cape porcupines are nocturnal and monogamous, typically living as mated pairs of adults, caring for any young together. Each pair may inhabit up to six burrows, jointly defending their shared territory, although they typically forage as individuals.
When attacked, the porcupine freezes. If cornered, it turns vicious and charges to stab its attacker with its quills. Otherwise, the porcupine may retreat into its burrow, exposing only its quills and making it hard to dislodge.
Relative to most other rodents, Cape porcupines are long-lived, surviving for ten years in the wild, or up to twenty years in captivity.