Part 9

YELLOW-HAIRED PORCUPINE Erethizon dorsatum epixanthum Brandt

The porcupine is a large, short-legged rodent (total length about 30 inches), clumsy and awkward appearing, slow-moving, bearing long, sharp quills or spines over most of the body and on the short, club-like tail. The pelage is composed of soft, brownish-black or black hair. Intermixed with the pelage, and extending beyond it are the quills and long, stiff, shiny, yellowish-tipped hairs, which give a yellow tinge to the underlying dark color. It is impossible to confuse this unique animal with any other found in the park.

Specimens in park collection: RNP-42, RNP-47, and a mounted specimen, Longmire Museum, Park Headquarters.

The several species of porcupine are widely distributed, ranging in the timbered regions of the northeastern states, the Rocky Mountains from near the Mexican boundary northward, and from northern California into Canada and Alaska.

Formerly rare, the first actual record was of a single individual in Paradise Valley in 1933, porcupines are increasing throughout the forested areas of the park, although the animal is still considered uncommon.

An apparent lack of interest or concern in events is probably the outstanding characteristic of the porcupine. Protected as it is with an almost impregnable defense of quills, it has no need for speed and shows little fear of any other creature, even man. If pursued when encountered, it will waddle away at top speed, which is about equal to a man’s brisk walk. If crowded closely, the animal will take to the nearest tree if given the opportunity, or may thrust its head beneath a convenient root, log, or rock, then thrash the muscular tail about vigorously in an effort to discourage attack. The tail is indeed a formidable weapon. The quills are loosely attached to the skin, and are readily detached when they strike any object. They may even be loosened by the swinging of the tail, and fly through the air for a short distance. It is conceivable that quills thus detached might actually penetrate the skin at short range, but a porcupine can not “shoot” its quills.

During the winter months “Porky” feeds upon the bark of various trees, with an apparent preference for the conifers and coniferous foliage. At times a single tree may furnish food for several days. The porcupine is not a traveler, and rarely moves far, since food is ordinarily readily available. In summer bark is eaten at times, but the diet is predominantly the leaves and new twigs of shrubs, grasses, and succulent plants.

The inordinate liking for salt exhibited by the porcupine is well known. Tool handles which bear a trace of dried perspiration are eagerly devoured; it is common to find table-tops and other articles of furniture in abandoned camps almost destroyed if they retain any evidence of bacon, salt pork, or other salty foods. This habit has created a hearty dislike among campers and woodsmen for the “quill-pigs,” and they are notorious as camp nuisances.

Because of its nocturnal habits, the porcupine is not often seen. It prefers to remain concealed in the uppermost branches of a thick-foliaged tree, or perhaps in a hollow stump or log during the day, venturing out at dusk to forage.

Natural enemies of this animal include many of the predators, although the protection afforded by the quills is sufficient to discourage attack in most instances. Perhaps extremities of hunger result in desperate attempts upon occasion, but it is difficult to imagine any flesh-eater coming out better than second-best in an encounter, with one exception. Observations and records of naturalists, trappers, and other competent observers throughout the north woods country indicate that the fisher is an implacable and deadly enemy of the porcupine, which is the fisher’s favorite prey and which it kills by tearing open the unprotected belly. Observers have found trapped fishers to contain porcupine quills in the intestines and in other parts of the body, with no apparent harmful effects. Since the fisher has been almost exterminated over most of its range within the United States, however, it cannot be regarded as an effective check upon the increase in the porcupine population. In rare instances, coyotes and cougars have been recorded as preying upon the porcupine, and forest fires have been important in reducing their numbers in the past.

THE VARYING HARES

Two kinds of varying hares, or snowshoe rabbits, are known to occur within the park. A brief discussion of each follows:

The Washington varying hare, Lepus americanus washingtonii Baird, is a medium-sized hare, larger than the common cottontail rabbit. Mammalogists differ in their discussions of the coloration of this species. The variations of opinion are of interest. H. E. Anthony, in his Field Book of North American Mammals, thus describes the Washington Varying Hare:

“Summer and winter pelages both dull, dark reddish brown (no white winter pelage); tops of feet more intense reddish; soles of hind feet sooty.”

Taylor and Shaw, in Mammals and Birds of Mount Rainier National Park, are in general agreement with Anthony’s description of summer pelage, but describe the winter coat as follows:

“In winter in the lowlands the pelage merely puts on a slightly paler or more vinaceous cinnamon tinge; but in Mount Rainier National Park a white coat is assumed.”

Still another observation was made by Mr. Walter W. Dalquest of the Department of Zoology, University of Washington. After examining study skins of the varying hares collected in the park, Mr. Dalquest made the following comments in a letter addressed to the park naturalist (April, 1939).

“The snowshoe hares of the entire Western Cascade region are a very interesting but mixed up group. I should refer all three of your specimens to Lepus americanus washingtonii plus cascadensis.

“The summer specimen from Longmire seems to be typical washingtonii in color and skull. The white winter specimen seems to be typical cascadensis while the very dark specimen (still in winter coat) represents an interesting condition found only in the Western Cascades, in which the specimens are darker than any other forms of Lepus americanus I have ever seen. This character is well represented in a large series from Skykomish, Washington, in which the winter coat varies from pure white to almost black.”

From these observations it would appear that there is a marked variation in the winter coloration of Lepus americanus washingtonii, and further that another subspecies of varying hare, Lepus americanus cascadensis, is found in the park.

The Washington varying hare is not abundant in the park, having been recorded only from the southwestern section, from the park boundary to an elevation of about 3,000 feet, rarely higher.

It occurs on the western slope of the Cascades to the coast in Washington, and northward into British Columbia.

The Cascade varying hare, Lepus americanus cascadensis Nelson, is about the same size as the Washington varying hare. In summer it is a dark, rusty brown, reddish along the back, darker on the rump; white in winter.

This hare apparently occurs most frequently in the southwestern part of the park also, although tracks observed in winter at Yakima Park may have been those of this species. Its range undoubtedly overlaps that of the Washington varying hare, but it seems probable that in general it is found at the higher elevations, 3,000 to 5,000 feet.

The distribution of this species, within its altitudinal range, is about the same as that of the Washington varying hare.

Specimens in park collection: Washington varying hare, RNP-57, RNP-99, and a mounted specimen; Cascade varying hare, RNP-98; Longmire Museum, Park Headquarters.

From the foregoing data, it is apparent that positive field identification of either species is impossible in most instances. If a brown hare is observed in winter (mid-October to mid-April) it may be identified with reasonable accuracy as the Washington varying hare. However, if the hare is white, it may be either species, particularly if its habitat is near the elevation of overlapping distribution, 3,000 feet. Since the summer pelage of both species is similar, it is not possible to differentiate during that season. In general the observer may expect to find the Washington varying hare at 3,000 feet or lower, the Cascade varying hare at 3,000 feet or higher. That such identification can not be considered infallible, however, is demonstrated by a brown specimen collected near Reflection Lake, elevation 4,800 feet, in February, and identified as the Washington varying hare.

The aptness of the common name, varying hare, is easily understood, since it applies to the seasonal change of color, brought about by the shedding of the coat during the moult. The term “snowshoe rabbit” is derived from the long, broad hind feet of the animal, Nature’s wise provision which permits rapid and efficient progress over deep, soft snow.