Why are porcupines disappearing?

As porcupine numbers decrease across the West, wildlife managers are racing to understand the trend. The creatures faced widespread persecution in the 1900s from the timber industry, which didn’t look kindly upon their habit of chewing on trees. Thousands of porcupines (Erethizon dorsatum) were poisoned and many states offered bounties. These bounties mostly ended in 1979, but porcupines have struggled to recover in the decades since. TWS member Erik Beever and others are now studying porcupine numbers to confirm this apparent trend. “We’re wondering whether the species is either increasing or declining without anybody even knowing,” the U.S. Geological Survey ecologist told High Country News. In places like California, it’s possible that rodenticides left around illegal marijuana plantations in the wilderness contribute to the loss in numbers, but all the factors contributing to potential decline remain unclear. Meanwhile, the Karuk Tribe in Northern California is currently exploring ways to reintroduce porcupines onto their land.

Read more at High Country News.