When in danger, however, the animal directs its long dorsal hairs forward, exposing the quills; it erects the quills and arches its back the tail is flailed against an attacker as a last resort. Surprisingly, Erethizon Is killed by a variety of carnivores. Some mountain lions learn to flip porcupines on their backs and kill them by attacking the unprotected belly. Occasionals, however, dead or dying carnivores are found with masses of quills penetrating the mouth and face, indicating that learning to prey on porcupines may be a fatal undertaking. Erethizon Characteristically takes shelter in rock piles, beneath overhanging rocks, or in hollow logs but (as other new world porcupines) does not dig burrows as do old world porcupines.

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