Disappearing Porcupines

Aerial gunning of coyotes gets Petey thinking. Oh dear.

It is mind boggling  that there is still an agency in the USDA called Wild Life Services that kills “pesky” wildlife for farmers, ranchers, or really anyone that falls under the category of agriculture in its broadest sense.  Millions of dollars are spent to kill wildlife. Enough said I guess.                                                                                                               Porcupines are one of our largest rodents. I think beavers may be our biggest, but anyway, porcupines have quite a range in Arizona. I’ve seen them in ironwood and saguaro forest, but they are definitely more common in the uplands. They have very few native predators and they can live to a ripe old porcupine age. I suspect they do succumb to the pressure of humans and populations dwindle. Porcupines are quite beautiful, quills and all, and I hope when you do see one that your dog is on a leash.