Reproduction in the porcupine Hystrix africaeaustralis Peters

Abstract

The porcupine Hystriix africaeaustralis inhabits a wide range of habitat types throughout the Southern African Subregion and density in foraging areas in the Tussen-die-Riviere Game Fann (30°25' to 30°26'S/26°04' to 26°20'£) was estimated at 29, 9 porcupines/km 2 . Age of specimens collected during two culling operations could be determined reliably only for animals less than 24 months of age and ramifications of cementum lines, due to continual growth of the open-rooted molars, resulted in counts of these lines not being of use for age determination purposes. Growth was approximately linear during the first 20 weeks of life and asymptotic body weight (11, 7 ± 0, 01 kg) given by the von Bertalanffy growth equation, was attained at the age of approximately 52 weeks. Males and females were similar in size. The reproductive characteristics of the porcupine are similar to those of New World hystricomorph rodents and its life history strategy can be explained in terms of K-selection.