Hystrix indica
Silhouette: PhyloPic
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~40%
The Indian crested porcupine (Hystrix indica) is a hystricomorph rodent species in the Old World porcupine family, Hystricidae. It is native to West Asia and South Asia and listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. The Indian crested porcupine is a large rodent, weighing 11–18 kg (24–40 lb). The body from nose to base of the tail measures between 70 and 90 cm (28 and 35 in), with the tail adding an additional 8–10 cm (3.1–3.9 in).
It is covered in multiple layers of modified hair called quills, with longer, thinner quills covering a layer of shorter, thicker ones. The quills are brown or black with alternating white and black bands. They are made of keratin and are relatively flexible. Each quill is connected to a muscle at its base, allowing the porcupine to raise its quills when it feels threatened. The longest quills are located on the neck and shoulder, where the quills form a "skirt" around the animal. These quills can grow up to 51 cm (20 in) long, with most measuring between 15 and 30 cm (5.9 and 11.8 in). Smaller and more rigid quills with a length of about 20 cm (7.9 in) are packed densely on the back and rump, which are used to stab at potential threats... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Periyar National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 2 | Keoladeo National Park | 🇮🇳 India |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report an Indian Crested Porcupine sighting in New Delhi on a given day, based on 11 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 7th most-seen of the 11 mammals we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 40%, if each day is a fresh chance.
August
In that month about 20% of wildlife watchers report an Indian Crested Porcupine in New Delhi on a given day, against under 5% in March, May, September and December, the lowest months. That is one of New Delhi's wettest months, with about 200 mm of rain against almost none in November.
Between 8 and 11 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Indian Crested Porcupine sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
6th of 7
Of the 7 cities where we can rate Indian Crested Porcupine sightings, New Delhi ranks 6th at about 10%. The best odds are in Jerusalem (Israel, about 40%), Thrissur (India, about 40%) and Tel Aviv (Israel, about 20%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Indian Crested Porcupine is recorded against all the mammals logged in New Delhi (11 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
