(Family Erethizontidae) This small family belongs to the new world porcupines, a group including 5 recent genera with 16 living species. These animals occur from the Arctic South through much of the forested part of Canada and the United States into Sonora, Mexico, in the case of Erethizon and from Southern Mexico through much of the northern half of South America in the case of the other genera. Porcupines are of interest because of their remarkable coat of quills and because the animals often have little apparent fear of humans and thus can be observed easily.

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