Mammal

Indian crested porcupine

Hystrix indica

हिन्दी: सेही, साही

IUCN: Least Concern

Indian crested porcupine with long black-and-white quills among rocks

Scientific name: Hystrix indica
Hindi name: सेही, साही
Family: Hystricidae, order Rodentia
Group: Mammal
Conservation status: Least Concern
Length: About 70 to 90 cm
Weight: About 11 to 18 kg
Young: Born after about two months

India's biggest rodent, wrapped in a coat of spears.

Spot it Dark body with long quills on the back, banded black and white, and a crest on the neck.
Home Rocky hills, scrub and farmland edges.
Food web A plant-eater: roots, bulbs, fruit, grain and bark; it sometimes digs up crops.
Why it matters Its digging mixes the soil, and its fallen quills are used by other animals and birds.

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