How It Works - UK (2020-02)

DID YOU KNOW? An adult porcupine has on average around 30,000 quills on its body

When confronted by a predator, porcupines will raise their needle quills for protection

© Science Photo Library

The pink fairy armadillo is believed to use its armour to regulate its body temperature

© Illustration by The Art Agency/Sandra Doyle

Body © Illustration by The Art Agency/Nick Sellers Dependingonthe species,pangolinscan growfrombetween 30 to 152 centimetres.

Armour Thebodyofa pangolinis coveredin around 900 to 1000 toughkeratinscales.

Weight Pangolinscanrange,depending onspecies,from1.5kilogramsto around 33 kilogramsin weight.

How porcupines turn predators into pincushions

Releasing quills

Epidermis Thisis thelayerthatforms theporcupinesskin, coveringtheentirebody.

Connectivetissue Holdingthequillin place, spoolsoftissueremain evenwhenthequill is brokenoffin theskinof a predator.

Piloerector muscle Thissmallsupportive muscleis responsible forthemechanics ofraisingand loweringquills whentheporcupine feelsthreatened.

Movement Whena quill penetratestheskinof anotheranimal,it pushesit backintothe bodyoftheporcupine.

Brokentissue Asthequillis forced backintotheporcupine’s body,partofthe epidermissurrounding thequillroottears, freeingit fromtheskin.

“These keratin scales not only act as a hard barrier, but

are also designed to redirect any fractures”

Quillshaft Quillsaremadeupof thesamematerialas ourhair,keratin,and growin a similarway.