Canadian wildlife · Drawing 08 of 41
North American Porcupine
In the forests
The North American porcupine moves slowly through the forest. Quills lie among its long hairs. It eats plants and can climb into trees for food.
Did you know?
Its quills come loose easily when an animal touches it, and new ones grow back.
Look together
Can you see its claws against the trunk?
An idea to try
Draw a tree trunk with large bark shapes that are easy to colour.
For the adult reading along
A little more to discover
Scientific name: Erethizon dorsatum. Where it lives: Forests and other habitats across much of Canada. What it eats: Leaves, buds and bark. Quills help a porcupine defend itself. Its claws and feet also allow it to reach food in trees, including leaves and bark.
Sources and illustration notes (1)
Simplified drawing for colouring. Coat, feather or skin markings are left white so children can choose their colours. Proportions and details are not a scientific identification plate.
These links lead to other websites. Explore them with an adult. References identify the institution and the related lesson; some linked pages are in French.
- Hinterland Who’s Who — PorcupineClimbing claws, defensive quills and plant diet.
Page prepared on September 30, 2026. Illustrations are simplified for colouring.
This drawing is from the book Canadian Wildlife to Colour
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