ເຣະ (ກຶມຸ) ( Himalayan Crestless Porcupine, Hodgson's Porcupine, Malayan Porcupine, Himalayan Porcupine)

Acanthion brachyurus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Hystrix hodgsoni

Hystricidae

ຫອນ / Brush-tailed Porcupine

The Hystrix brachyura has a robust, dark brown body and a short tail. It is characterized by small ears, eyes, and an elongated snout. The most distinctive feature of this species is its tail, which is equipped with long, hollow quills—also known as spines—that it can shake to intimidate potential predators. The porcupine’s head and body length range from 455 to 930 mm, with a tail length of 60 to 170 mm, ear size of 25 to 38 mm, hindfoot length of 75 to 95 mm, and a weight between 8 to 27 kg.
These porcupines are typically solitary or found in small family groups of two to four. They are nocturnal foragers, feeding on a variety of roots, tree bark, seeds, and fallen fruits, including those from palm trees, to meet their nutritional needs. They also consume calcium-rich materials as part of their diet [4], [5], [6].

Native to Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, Viet Nam, Brunei Darussalam.
Global distribution between 2004 to 2024. Source: [5]

North Laos Highlands
Annamite Highlands and Xieng Khuang Plateau
Northern Annamites
Lower Annamites
Southern Mekong Corridor
Boloven Plateau

Evergreen forest
Dry dipterocarp forest
Old bush fallow
Rice paddy

Native

Not invasive

Least concern

List II: Control species

Food

People in the rural area of Laos hunted this species for food. People have also hunted it to sell it to other countries. The number of these porcupines has been dropping quickly in the last decades [9].

Wild

January
February
March
December

Habitat preservation: People in Southeast Asia hunt this animal for food, but it doesn't seem to be hurting their numbers. However, in South Asia, there are fewer places for them to live because of dams, new homes, and other buildings. People also catch this animal to eat and use it for medicine [7].

Sustainable harvesting: This species is present in many protected areas. It is known from the following protected areas in South Asia, Namdapha National Park in Arunachal Pradesh in northeastern India, Langtang National Park in Central Nepal, and Sagarmatha National Park in Eastern Nepal [7].

N/A

N/A

Nutrient	/100g	Remark
Proteins	N/A	N/A
Carbohydrates	N/A	N/A
Fats	N/A	N/A
Vitamins	N/A	N/A
Minerals	N/A	N/A
Fibers	N/A	N/A

East Asian Porcupine. [1] iNaturalist [Online]. Uploaded on 16 October by Rimba. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/34443298 [Accessed: 19 August2024]
East Asian Porcupine up close. [2] iNaturalist [Online]. Uploaded on 22 June 2019 by: yuwaree_k. Available: www.inaturalist.org/photos/153272482. [Accessed: 01 October 2024].
East Asian Porcupine. Source. [3] iNaturalist [Online]. Uploaded on 18 December 2018 by: aphidiinae. Available: www.inaturalist.org/photos/214103568. [Accessed: 01 October 2024].

[5] Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), “Hystrix brachyura Linnaeus, 1758,” [Online]. Available: https://www.gbif.org/species/5219890. [Accessed: 01 October 2024].
[6] W. R. Farida, A. P. Sari, N. Inayah, and H. A. Nguroho,“Observations of behavioral development on common Porcupines (Hystrix brachyura) undergoing domestication,” Earth and Environmental Science, vol. :10. pp 1755-1315,2018
[7] IUCN Red List, "Hystrix brachyura," [Online]. Available: https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/10749/115099298. [Accessed: 01 October 2024].
[8] ສະພາແຫ່ງຊາດ, "ກົດໝາຍວ່າດ້ວຍສັດປ່າ (ສະບັບປັບປຸງ)," 2023.
[9] A. L. Johnson, “Wildlife in Lao PDR 2024 status report,” Wildlife Conservation Society Lao PDR Program, Xasettha district, Vientiane capital, 2024. [Online]. Available: laos.wcs.org.