by Louis Jordaan (GCBR Klein Karoo Extension Officer)
Some would say that promoting the good qualities of porcupines amongst the farmers I engage with is looking for trouble; however, they are often surprised to learn the major role these shy, nocturnal animals play in the regeneration of veld and promoting plant diversity.
When looking closely at which plants porcupines feed on in natural veld one will find that they, in fact, eat several species which make most other mammals sick or even cause them to die. And I am not referring to nibbling at those plants out of curiosity or for medicinal purposes, but actually feeding on them. Examples of poisonous plants which naturally form part of the diet of porcupines are the following: Tylecodon cacaliodes and T. wallichii (nenta / krimpsiektebos; many stockfarmers are familiar with these plants or had at least heard of them as they can cause stock losses); Tylecodon ventricosus (klipnenta); Euphorbia mauritanica (yellow milkbush / pencil euphorbia / geelmelkbos) and Ornithoglossum spp. (poison onion / slangkop, which are indeed suitable names for these poisonous plants).
Porcupines are the largest rodents in Africa and the second largest in the world, they feed mainly on subterranean parts of plants, such as bulbs, corms, rhizomes and roots. Typical funnel-shaped holes are dug to access these titbits and sometimes visually an area can be in a bad shape after such a feast.
A while ago a group of Americans visiting me at my farm, Minwater, asked me whether I also experience that porcupine damage my veld. I enquired after the reason for such a question and they told me that the owner of the guest farm where they are staying told them that porcupines damage his veld to such an extent that he is forced to kill them. I then pointed out an area where porcupines have fed recently and also pointed out the damage caused to the vegetation. Of course, it is not only the target species which were damaged, but also plants that prevented free access to the target species. I also pointed out several holes dug a few months earlier and asked them to look for differences. After observing the older holes one person noticed that water had collected in the holes and also that dead plant material and seeds had been blown into the holes by the wind. I then proceeded to point out a third set of even older holes and asked them what they observed. Excitedly, they discovered that young plants were growing in almost all the holes.
To summarise, yes, porcupines destroy plants when they are feeding, which can be quite upsetting. However, the outcome of the process of feeding is that they create seedbeds where water, nutrients and seed collect, ensuring the survival of many plant species.
In addition, porcupines often dig holes in bare patches where conditions for seeds to collect and germinate are unfavourable. In that way porcupines contribute to the rehabilitation of such places.
When evaluating the condition of natural veld, the presence and activities of animals, such as porcupines, is an important aspect to be considered. The view that in natural veld porcupines are pests is, in my view, based on a total misconception of their actual role – allow them their place in the sun (or moon).
