Cape porcupine

The Cape porcupine (Hystrix africaeaustralis), also known as the South African porcupine, is a species of Old World porcupine native to southern and central Africa. It is the largest porcupine species, the largest rodent in Africa, and one of the largest rodents in the world; a few other rodents are bigger in body mass such as the capybara and both North American and Eurasian beavers. They are similar in appearance with the crested porcupine. The two species can easily be distinguished from each other by the Cape porcupine's presence of a band of short white spines along the midline of the rump. Another similar species, the Indian porcupine, is almost the same size on average as well, being slightly heavier than the crested porcupines but slightly lighter than Cape porcupines. They measure 63 to 81 centimeters long from the head to the tail, with the tail being 11-20 centimeters. They weigh from 10 to 24 kilograms, with exceptionally large individuals can weigh up to 30 kg. They are heavily built animals, with a stocky body covered with long spines up to 50 centimeters in length, interspersed with sharp, thicker, defense quills up to 30 centimeters long. The spines on the tail are hollow, which is used to make a rattling sound to scare away predators. It also has an erectile chest of long bristly hairs from the top of the head to the shoulders, short limbs, and an inconspicuous tail. It is bristly, blackish or brownish in color, with the quills having multiple bands of black and white. The quills and spines cover the back and flanks of the animal, starting a third way on the body, and then the tail, and grows regularly spaced grooves along the animals body, with each groove having five to eight quills. It has relatively small eyes and ears, and mobile whiskers are short. Females have two pairs of teats. Feet have five clawed toes, though the thumb on the forefeet are vestigial