Hystrix pumila is found on the Philippine islands of Busuanga, Palawan, and Balabac also known as the Palawan Faunal Region.

Biogeographic Regions: oriental (Native )

Other Geographic Terms: island endemic

Tail length of Hystrix pumila ranges from 2.5 to 19 cm. Indonesian porcupines have short nasal bones, an enlarged infraorbital foramen, and a hystricognathous lower jaw. They have a stocky build, small eyes, small ears, and has a short rounded head with no head or neck mane. The dorsal coloring is dark brown to black with light speckles, the underside is brown to gray-white. The quills are flattened, with longer rigidity near the tip. Tail quills have shorter open-ended quills that rattle loudly. The hair is bristle-like. The forefeet have four well developed digits while the hind feet have five digits. Indonesian porcupines have short claws and the soles of the feet are smooth and naked.

Range mass: 3.8 to 5.4 kg.

Range length: 42 to 93 cm.

Other Physical Features: endothermic ; homoiothermic; bilateral symmetry

Sexual Dimorphism: male larger

• Terrestrial

Hystrix pumila prefers lowlands, primary forests, secondary forests, caves (including old mine shafts), and sometimes burrows. Burrows may hold up to ten individuals. Sometimes H. pumila individuals make nests of plant material within dens. Preferred habitat of Indonesian porcupines consists of grassland and agricultural mosaic, abandoned and active plantations, and also rugged areas.

Range elevation: Sea level to 3500 m.

Habitat Regions: tropical ; terrestrial

Terrestrial Biomes: forest ; mountains

Other Habitat Features: suburban ; agricultural ; caves

Indonesian porcupines feed on vegetation, including coconuts, roots, bulbs, tubers, fruits, and berries. Sometimes they will feed on small vertebrates, insects, or carrion. They gnaw on bones for calcium and otherwise gnaw on branches, tree bark, and tree trunks to wear down their ever growing incisors.

Animal Foods: mammals; amphibians; carrion ; insects

Plant Foods: leaves; roots and tubers; wood, bark, or stems; seeds, grains, and nuts; fruit

Primary Diet: herbivore (Folivore , Lignivore)

Indonesian porcupines aid in seed dispersal through the defecation of seeds of fruit they have eaten.

Ecosystem Impact: disperses seeds

Commensal/Parasitic Species:

• fleas (Siphonaptera)
• ticks (Acari)

Indonesian porcupines, like other porcupines, use their formidable quills to defend themselves against predators. There are no known predators in the wild.

Male Indonesian porcupines use vocalizations to attract females for mating. They use hums, whines, and grunts. Also, males urinate on females. When a mate is found, the male and female dance on their hind legs and whine and hum together. They sniff each other and put their paws on each other’s shoulder and sometimes rub noses.

Indonesian porcupines have a keen sense of smell, which they use to locate food. They have poor eyesight.

Communication Channels: visual ; tactile ; acoustic ; chemical

Perception Channels: visual ; acoustic

Indonesian porcupines live 9 to 15 years in the wild. A captive individual lived for 9.5 years.

Average lifespan

Status: captivity: 9.5 years.

Typical lifespan

Status: wild: 9 to 15 years.

Average lifespan

Status: captivity: 9.5 years.

Average lifespan

Status: captivity: 9.5 years.

Average lifespan

Status: captivity: 9.5 years.

Indonesian porcupines are monogamous. After attracting a mate, female H. pumila raise their rear and tail high while her chest is on the ground. The male then proceeds to mount the female by clasping her sides with its front paws and balancing on its hind feet.

Mating System: monogamous

Indonesian porcupines usually have one young in each litter, sometimes two. In their lifetime, they can have from 6 to 12 young. Indonesian porcupines begin to eat solids at two weeks old, even though they are still receiving milk from their mother. They breed from March to December.

Breeding interval: Indonesian porcupines breed once yearly.

Breeding season: Breeding occurs from March to December.

Range number of offspring: 1 to 2.

Average number of offspring: 1.

Range gestation period: 93 to 105 days.

Range weaning age: 3 to 4 months.

Average time to independence: 2 months.

Range age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female): 9 to 18 months.

Range age at sexual or reproductive maturity (male): 9 to 18 months.

Key Reproductive Features: iteroparous ; seasonal breeding ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); viviparous

Like other mammals, female Indonesian porcupines nurse and care for their young until they are independent. Males typically are not involved in caring for young.

Parental Investment: precocial ; pre-fertilization (Provisioning, Protecting: Female); pre-hatching/birth (Provisioning: Female, Protecting: Female); pre-weaning/fledging (Provisioning: Female, Protecting: Female); pre-independence (Protecting: Female)

• 1996
  Lower Risk/least concern

Hystrix pumila populations are considered stable.

US Federal List: no special status

CITES: no special status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: vulnerable

Indonesian porcupines are seen as nuisance animals on coconut plantations and in other areas as they gnaw on trees and leaves. They may transmit diseases due to the ticks and fleas they carry.

Negative Impacts: injures humans (carries human disease); crop pest

Indonesian porcupines are hunted for their meat. Also, the quills of H. pumila can be collected for ornaments and talismans.

Positive Impacts: food ; body parts are source of valuable material