African brush-tailed porcupines

A brush-tailed porcupine shortly after its release in the Dja Reserve pavilion. Photo: Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo

In Dja Reserve at Prague Zoo, you can observe the brush-tailed porcupines in a mixed-species exhibit with the talapoins.

Brush-tailed porcupines are close relatives of true porcupines, but unlike them, they have quills only on the rear part of their back, while the rest of their body is covered with short, flattened bristles. The stiff hairs at the tip of the tail are swollen and hollow, so when the porcupine shakes its tail in agitation, they produce a distinctive rustling sound.

Their native range stretches across tropical Africa, from Guinea on the west coast to Kenya in the east. Unfortunately, they are among the most popular species in the bushmeat trade.