In the wild, adult porcupines are also the target of lion attacks. But this rodent always knows how to defend itself. It will erect spikes and a long, spiky tail towards its enemies, ready to injure or even kill lions.
Despite trying very hard to approach the prey at all costs, the lion finally gave up after being attacked by the porcupine with porcupine feathers stuck in the lion’s mouth.
african porcupines have a characteristic that when attacked by an enemy, they will ruffle their feathers and make them click to make their body look larger and scare the enemy away.
If the above fails, the african hedgehog will try to raid the rear or side and launch sharp feathers at the enemy. Or, it can stop abruptly, sending enemies crashing into its fringed fur.
The porcupines easily detach from their bodies and once they penetrate the body of a predator, the tiny spikes on the tips of the feathers actually cause them to dig deeper into the wound, rupturing blood vessels and even all internal organs.
It is a fact that african hedgehogs have natural antibiotics in their bodies to prevent them from catching an infection if they fall from a tree and are accidentally pricked by their own feathers.