His (or her) name derives from two Latin words. “Porcus” means “pig” in that ancient tongue. And “spine” means “thorn!” An animal that has a pig-like shape and can wound an attacker with his thorns, spears, quills!
The little creature has around 30,00 of those sharp things, weapons! (And contrary to popular opinion, he cannot shoot them through the air!) But if he can get his predator behind him, he has the ability to “back up” both rapidly and forcefully into his enemy! (I am told even a tiger is hesitant to harm the porcupine!)
Whereupon (on impact) those little quills stick into the dog (or whatever) and loosen themselves from the porcupine! (Don’t worry, the little fellow can grow them back relatively quickly!)
I said “little” quills! Some of them are up to 15 inches long! And they are (our amazing Creator at work) built with tiny “blades” all over them! Razor sharp to cut into an attacker’s face deeper and deeper. Can you imagine the pain as the predator tries to rub these (double-edged, triple-edged, multi-edged) spears away! Deeper and deeper they go!
Myriads of accounts tell of those quills setting up infection in the enemy coyote (etc.) and leading to its death!
But, as we all know, some ill-advised animals attack anyway! But few succeed!
Any creature seeking to kill a porcupine … such a scenario reminds me of a verse of Scripture. “A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.” Proverbs 22:3
Let the wise beware!
I thought too about us Christians who also have a double-edged, sharp Sword with which to lunge at the devil! Yes, the Word of God! (“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword.” Hebrews 4:12)
Yes, dear reader, God’s creation does exhibit His awesome Wisdom and Power and Glory!
— Dr. Mike Bagwell
Furthermore, porcupines can climb trees, but are mostly ground animals. They are even good swimmers, if need be! And they are rodents, living up to 7 years in the wild! They can weigh up to 35 pounds, lots of quill-space! They eat leaves, plants, fruit, and even the tender layer of tissue beneath the bark of trees.
Truly, creation points to the Creator!
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