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Mammal✓ Protected species
Porcupine
Hystrix cristata
✓What to do NOW
- 1Never touch the quills — they penetrate the skin and break below the surface
- 2If injured on a road: approach from the head end (quills are on the back and tail)
- 3Use a shovel to move it or load directly into a metal crate without touching it
- 4Report the location and call CRAS or Carabinieri Forestali (1515)
- 5Sturdy, heavy box: an adult porcupine can weigh up to 16 kg and has a powerful bite
✗NEVER do this
- ✗Do not grab by the quills: contrary to the myth it does not "throw" them, but quills embed on contact
- ✗Do not approach from behind
- ✗Do not try to move it without protection
⚠ Important note
The porcupine is found across central and southern Italy and Sardinia, expanding northward. The main cause of death is nocturnal road traffic. Once recovered, porcupines are relatively easy to manage in care because they calm down quickly. The quills have backward-pointing microbarbs: if a quill is stuck in skin, go to A&E — do not extract it yourself.
⚖ Legal protection
Protected by Law 157/1992. It is not a huntable species but may be deterred (not killed) from farmland with regional authorisation.
Also known as
crested porcupineAfrican crested porcupineItalian porcupine
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Full guide
Found an injured porcupine? Quills, behaviour and what to do
The crested porcupine is Italy's largest rodent. It looks frightening but is shy. If you find one injured or hit by a car, here's how to handle it without hurting yourself — or the animal.
Read the guide →Did you find a porcupine right now?
🆘 Find the nearest rescue centre →