Porcupines

Skiing towards Skoki Lodge one day, one of our common rodents waddled into view. Although Christmas is the season for warm fuzzies, this critter was anything but. He was big, around 3/4 of a metre long and looked like he weighed well over 5 kg. His (or hers as the case may be) two yellow incisors caught the light and drew attention to his main pursuit in life--chewing. As he waddled towards the nearest tree, for cover, his armour of quills bounced around in an ever so threatening way. When a porcupine moves, it doesn't need any sign indicating that it's not an animal to be wrestled with.

Commonly found throughout the Rockies, the porcupine is one of natures strangest creations. Almost comical in its appearance, one may be tempted to underestimate the well designed armoury that covers its back. However, as most dogs have learned, the quills of this large rodent form a very effective defence. These needle sharp hairs number more than 30,000 and easily impale anything getting too close.

Like all defences, this one is not perfect, and even porcupines have an Achilles heel. Since their face and belly are not quilled, they must carefully protect these areas when threatened. That's why they respond to danger by fanning the quills out and facing danger butte first. This is, of course, only if their first strategy, heading up the nearest tree, fails.

They are very comfortable in trees as they spend much of their time above ground. They feed voraciously on the leaves of many local trees and shrubs. In winter, they have to be more creative, and less picky, in their food selection. During this time they may be forced to chew the bark of trees to get at the tasty cambium layer lying beneath the surface. This can kill the tree if the porcupine chews the bark all the way around the tree (called girdling the tree). Since the cambium layer is only layer of living tissue of the tree, it's removal kills the tree.

Keep your eyes out for porcupines, if not for the simple joy of watching these funny looking, natural wonders, than for some of the other reasons you will want to be aware of their presence. On the trail to Skoki is a small cabin, the half-way hut. Outside is an outhouse completely encased in chicken wire. This protects it from these insatiable chewers. Many a sign, not to mention outhouse, has fallen before these rodents. In addition, they love salt. That means anything that has salt (also read sweat) on it. I don't need to mention the plethora of things falling into the latter category. If you're travelling in porcupine country, make sure that you don't leave things like ski or hiking boots and back packs lying around. It's hard to make it back to the road with neither boots or pack straps.