Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin (ISSN 0178 – 6288) . Number 135, March 2016, pp. 1-20. | Page 16

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Behaviour
The crested porcupine is a terrestrial mammal; they very seldom climb trees, but
can swim. They are nocturnal and monogamous. The crested porcupine takes
care of the young for a long time and small family groups consist of the adult
pair and young of various ages. In defense, when disturbed, they raise and fan
their quills to make themselves look bigger. If continually bothered, the crested
porcupine will stamp its feet, whirr the quills, and charge the disturber back end
first trying to stab the enemy with the thicker, shorter quills. These attacks are
known to have killed lions, leopards, hyenas, and even humans (Wikipedia).
Crested porcupines have been known to collect thousands of bones that they find
at night. They are mostly nocturnal, and they may wander upon the skeletons of
many animals. These include prehistoric animals, such as Deinotherium. They will
collect these bones, and store them in an underground chamber, or cave.
Sometimes humans dig up these bones; it is an amazing find for paleontologists
and archaeologists (Wikipedia).

Prof. Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher Khalaf-von Jaffa presented his newest book
“Fauna Palaestina – Part Four” to a Natural History Museum Official in Al-Baq’a
Suburb, West Jerusalem, Occupied Palestine. The Researcher Mr. Daoud Al-Hali is
standing to the left of the Author. Photo: Nora Norman Ali Khalaf. 27.07.2014.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/50022881@N00/15537792026/
Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 135 – March 2016