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What the sources say

African Crested PorcupineHystrix cristata

Every figure, record and mechanism on the African Crested Porcupine profile was written from a source, and this is the working table behind it: 53 claims checked word for word against these sources. The left column is what the page says. The right column is the source's own words, copied, not paraphrased; a ... marks a cut and[brackets] an insertion. Open any source and check it yourself.

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Source
01

Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan

Hystrix cristata (North African crested porcupine). Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan.

The page saysturns its back on a threat
The source sayscharge the enemy, back end first
The page saysrattles a tail of hollow quills
The source saysThese quills broaden at the terminal end and this section is hollow and thin walled, so a hisslike rattle is produced by their vibration
The page sayscharges backward to stab anything that ignores the warning
The source saysIf the disturbance continues, they stamp their feet, whirr quills and charge the enemy, back end first, attempting to stab
The page saysit can weigh up to 30 kilograms (66 pounds)
The source says10 to 30 kg 22.03 to 66.08 lb
The page saysIt spends its nights foraging in forests, rocky areas, mountains and croplands
The source saysfound in forests, rocky areas, mountains, croplands, and sandhill desertsNote: ADW's Terrestrial Biomes tags for the species are savanna/grassland, forest and mountains; rocky hillsides paraphrases rocky areas and mountains
The page saysIt spends its nights foraging
The source saysThey are also strictly nocturnal
The page saysgnawing on roots and bark
The source sayseats bark, roots, tubers, rhizomes, bulbs, fallen fruits and cultivated crops
The page saysits days sheltering in caves, rock crevices or burrows it digs itself
The source saysThey shelter in caves, rock crevices, aardvark holes, or burrows they dig themselves
The page saysWhen disturbed, the porcupine raises and fans its quills to look bigger
The source saysWhen disturbed, they raise and fan quills to create an illusion of greater size
The page saysIf the disturbance continues, it stamps its feet
The source saysIf the disturbance continues, they stamp their feet, whirr quills and charge the enemy, back end first
The page saysvibrates the hollow, broad-tipped quills at the end of its tail into a hissing rattle
The source saysthe presence of rattle quills at the end of the tail ... These quills broaden at the terminal end and this section is hollow and thin walled, so a hisslike rattle is produced by their vibration
The page saysthe porcupine charges backward, trying to stab the attacker with its thicker, shorter quills
The source saysthey stamp their feet, whirr quills and charge the enemy, back end first, attempting to stab with the thicker, shorter quills
The page saysAttacks like this are known to have killed lions, leopards, hyenas and people
The source saysSuch attacks have been known to kill lions, leopard, hyenas, and humans
The page saysthe crested porcupine eats mostly plants: bark, roots, tubers, rhizomes, bulbs and fallen fruit
The source saysHystrix cristata is an herbivore that eats bark, roots, tubers, rhizomes, bulbs, fallen fruits and cultivated crops
The page saysfarm crops such as corn, pumpkin, sweet potatoes and cassava
The source sayseat corn, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, cassava, and young cotton plants
The page saysIt occasionally eats insects, small vertebrates and carrion too
The source saysThey occasionally consume insects, small vertebrates and carrion
The page saysThe crop raids make it a target for farmers
The source saysThey are poached for food and killed because they are considered an agricultural pest
The page saysits meat is considered a delicacy
The source saysThe meat of these animals is considered a delicacy
The page saysthis one also gnaws on bones, for calcium and to keep its teeth sharp
The source saysthey commonly gnaw on bones for calcium and to sharpen incisors
The page saysForests, rocky areas, mountains, croplands and sandhill deserts
The source saysfound in forests, rocky areas, mountains, croplands, and sandhill desertsNote: range from Trucchi 2016 (Senegal to Ethiopia and Tanzania; North Africa; introduced to Italy), covered by the body claims
The page saysRoots, tubers, bulbs, bark, and agricultural crops such as corn, pumpkin and cassava
The source sayseats bark, roots, tubers, rhizomes, bulbs, fallen fruits and cultivated crops
The page saysReverse charge that stabs an attacker with its thicker, shorter quills
The source saysthey stamp their feet, whirr quills and charge the enemy, back end first, attempting to stab with the thicker, shorter quills
The page saysOne or two, according to the Animal Diversity Web, and they arrive well developed
The source saysone to two well developed offspring are born
The page saysTheir eyes are open at birth or soon after, and their front teeth have already broken through
The source saysAt birth or shortly afterward, the young's eyes are open and incisors are completely broken through
The page saysif a disturbance continues, stamps its feet, whirrs its quills and charges back end first
The source saysIf the disturbance continues, they stamp their feet, whirr quills and charge the enemy, back end firstNote: vibe.reason (women artists, round 2)
The page sayshollow quills at the end of its tail make a hiss-like rattle
The source saysthe presence of rattle quills at the end of the tail ... These quills broaden at the terminal end and this section is hollow and thin walled, so a hisslike rattle is produced by their vibrationNote: vibe.reason (women artists, round 2)
The page saysdangerLevel: Deadly
The source saysSuch attacks have been known to kill lions, leopard, hyenas, and humansNote: task #686; Deadly is 'Capable of killing a human'. ADW cites Nowak 1991 (Walker's Mammals of the World), and the page's own prose already says the charge has killed people

Source
02

San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance

Porcupine. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance.

The page saysThe world's longest porcupine
The source saysLength: Largest - North African crested porcupine Hystrix cristata, up to 36 inches (90 centimeters)Note: SDZ lists this under Length, so the page says longest, not largest
The page saysthe longest of the world's porcupine species, reaching up to 90 centimeters (36 inches)
The source saysLength: Largest - North African crested porcupine Hystrix cristata, up to 36 inches (90 centimeters)Note: SDZ lists this under Length, so the page says longest, not largest
The page saysA crested porcupine cannot launch its quills through the air
The source saysPorcupines cannot shoot their quills!
The page saysQuills are modified hairs made of keratin, the same material as human hair and fingernails
The source saysQuills are just modified hairs made out of keratin, the same substance found in our own hair and fingernails
The page saysA crest of black-and-white banded quills runs from the top of its head to its shoulders
The source saysOld World crested porcupines have back quills that can stand up into a crest ... The crest starts from the top of the head and goes down to the shoulders. ... Each quill is marked with black and white bands
The page saysa skirt of long, bendy quills can make it look two to three times its size
The source saysThese long, pliable quills act as guard hairs and form a "skirt." When threatened, the skirt can be erected, making the porcupine appear two to three times bigger
The page saysAll porcupines have sharp, chisel-like front teeth
The source saysAll porcupines have a great sense of smell. To make quick work of available food, these herbivores have sharp, chisel-like front teeth
The page saysraised quills that can make it look two to three times bigger
The source saysWhen threatened, the skirt can be erected, making the porcupine appear two to three times bigger
The page saysThe Greek philosopher Aristotle warned that a porcupine could "shoot its deadly needlelike darts" over great distances at hunters and dogs
The source saysThe philosopher Aristotle warned of the dangers of getting too close to a porcupine: the quilled beast could "shoot its deadly needlelike darts" over great distances at hunters and dogs alike
The page saysWhen a porcupine shakes, loose quills can fly off, but without deadly force
The source sayswhen the porcupine shakes, loose quills can fly off (but without deadly force)

Source
03

AnAge: The Animal Ageing and Longevity Database, Human Ageing Genomic Resources

Hystrix cristata. AnAge: The Animal Ageing and Longevity Database, Human Ageing Genomic Resources.

The page saysOne wild-born porcupine lived to about 28 years old in captivity, making it one of the longest-lived rodents
The source saysOne wild born specimen was about 28 years old when it died in captivity ... making it one of the longest-lived rodents
The page saysweightKg: 20
The source saysAdult weight 20,000 gNote: task #686; AnAge adult average. ADW's 10 to 30 kg range sits inside the engine's Medium class (10 to 100 kg) throughout. Not in a curated matchup

Source
04

Trucchi et al. 2016

Trucchi et al. (2016). Long live the alien. Molecular Ecology.

The page saysThe species is native to sub-Saharan Africa, from Senegal to Ethiopia and Tanzania, and to North Africa
The source saysthe extant populations in North Africa are currently declining ... the species still commonly occurs in Sub-Saharan Africa, from Senegal to Ethiopia and Tanzania
The page saysItaly's porcupines were brought in
The source saysThe crested porcupine, Hystrix cristata, was historically introduced to Italy (Italian peninsula and Sicily)
The page saysA genetic study of three mitochondrial genes pointed to Tunisia as the most likely source and estimated that they arrived between 2,500 and 1,500 years ago
The source saysa genetic survey based on three mitochondrial genes identified the most likely source in North Africa (i.e. Tunisia) and estimated the introduction event between 2500 and 1500 years ago
The page saysvery likely brought over by the Ancient Romans as an exotic pet and a delicacy for banquets
The source saysAncient Romans very likely brought this animal from North Africa as an exotic pet for their villas and as a delicacy for their banquets
The page saysA 2016 study found that their range in Italy had expanded dramatically over the previous 40 to 50 years
The source saysRecords of the distribution of the porcupine in Italy reveal a dramatic range expansion in the last 40-50 years
The page saysthey crossed the Apennines, passed the Po river and reached the southern edge of the Alps
The source saysthe invasive population crossed the Apennines and colonized the eastern side of the Italian peninsula, passing the Po river in the Padana plain and getting as far north as the southern edge of the Alps
The page saysnative populations in North Africa were declining under heavy human pressure and a drying climate
The source saysthe extant populations in North Africa are currently declining due to intense anthropic pressure ... and the ongoing aridification of the region

Source
05

Coppola et al. 2020

Coppola et al. (2020). Evidence of scavenging behaviour in crested porcupine. Scientific Reports.

The page saysFrom June to August 2019, researchers put out pigeon carcasses with corn at seven study sites and near two traps, and recorded adult crested porcupines, at least one of them female, scavenging on four occasions
The source saysFrom June to August 2019, a pigeon carcass was placed together with corn in 7 study settlements and near 2 monitored capture-traps ... Scavenging behaviour was recorded on four occasions. All the recorded individuals were adults and at least one was female
The page saysUntil then, the study says, only the Cape porcupine had been seen eating carrion
The source saysAmong porcupine species, only the Cape porcupine ( Hystrix africaeaustralis ) has been observed to consume carrion flesh
The page saysMostly plants, but not always.
The source saysThis demonstrates that the crested porcupine occasionally does eat flesh

Source
06

Ori et al. 2018

Ori et al. (2018). Crested porcupines (Hystrix cristata): mycophagist spore dispersers of the ectomycorrhizal truffle Tuber aestivum.

The page saysResearchers found spores of the truffle Tuber aestivum in crested porcupine droppings at a truffle ground in L'Aquila, Italy
The source sayswe report our research on the occurrence of Tuber aestivum spores in porcupine's faecal contents in a truffière in L'Aquila, Italy
The page saysa few had germinated
The source saysA few truffle spores had germinated within the faeces
The page saysTruffles grow underground and cannot release their spores on their own, so they depend on the animals that eat them to spread the spores
The source saysTruffles, as hypogeous, ectomycorrhizal fungi, have no means to actively discharge spores into the environment and thus depend on mycophagists for spore dispersal

Source
07

Gazzard & Mori 2024

Gazzard & Mori (2024). Hystrix cristata. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2024: e.T10746A226926731.

The page saysLeast Concern
The source saysIUCN Red List category: Least Concern (LC)

How the table was made: a writer drafted the profile from these sources and logged each claim with its quote, a reviewer with nothing but this table checked every sentence said no more than its quote, and a script confirmed each quote appears word for word in the source. The method is in the site'sAbout page.