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It is extremely rare for this to happen, unless the victim is a small animal. In this case, the thorns – which can reach more than 30 centimeters in length – can pierce a vital organ and cause death. These spikes are actually modified, extremely tough hairs that grow on the head, back of the neck, and back. “They don’t have any toxic substance, but their tips have tiny barbs that make extraction difficult. If not treated, open lesions allow the appearance of infections that can also lead to the death of animals such as lions and leopards, and even men”, says biologist Cecília Pessuti, responsible for the Mammals Sector at the Sorocaba Zoo, SP.
But it is good to remember that we are talking about the porcupine of the family Hystricidae, found in Africa, Asia and Europe. In South America, there are similar animals, which are often confused with it – the hedgehogs, from the Erethizontidae family, and the thorn rats, from the Echynidae family – smaller, more docile and with thorns that do not exceed 7 centimeters.