Hyderabad: Chaos prevailed for some time at Shastripuram near Nehru Zoological Park on Tuesday night after a porcupine was spotted in the locality by residents.
The unusual sight of the creature created anxiety and fear among the locals. The residents informed the police, who then alerted the forest department.
The Indian porcupine (Hystrix indica), a member of the rodent family, is primarily found in tropical and temperate scrublands, grasslands, and forests. These animals have a broad, mostly herbivorous diet, feeding on fruits, grains, roots, and other plant material. They also chew on bones to obtain essential minerals.
Porcupines are not dangerous animals and usually act only when they feel threatened. Their primary defense mechanism is the formidable set of quills on their backs. When sensing danger, the Indian porcupine launches its quills in a backward attack. These quills can detach and embed themselves in the skin, eyes, or mouth of a predator. Each quill is brown or black with alternating white bands, making them distinctive.
There are several porcupines found in research institutes, educational universities, and large institutions that have significant open land and forest cover.
