Dr. Tim Bean

And then like years later, she called me and she was like, I was just watching this nature documentary and it was porcupines having sex. That's the noise that we heard all night long.

So yeah, I think that's another appeal of porcupines is I just think everybody, especially ecologists who have been in the field for a long time, just have this sort of like, they have a story or a curiosity or a question that they maybe never got around to researching. But yeah, everybody's got one.

So yeah, I think that's another appeal of porcupines is I just think everybody, especially ecologists who have been in the field for a long time, just have this sort of like, they have a story or a curiosity or a question that they maybe never got around to researching. But yeah, everybody's got one.

So yeah, I think that's another appeal of porcupines is I just think everybody, especially ecologists who have been in the field for a long time, just have this sort of like, they have a story or a curiosity or a question that they maybe never got around to researching. But yeah, everybody's got one.

Their reproductive system is weird, so I can walk you through it.

Their reproductive system is weird, so I can walk you through it.

Their reproductive system is weird, so I can walk you through it.

So female porcupines are either pregnant or lactating 11 months out of the year. Oh, God. They have, like, for their body size, one of the longest pregnancy periods of any mammal. So they're pregnant for about seven months and then lactating for four months, and then they have a month off and then do it all over again.

So female porcupines are either pregnant or lactating 11 months out of the year. Oh, God. They have, like, for their body size, one of the longest pregnancy periods of any mammal. So they're pregnant for about seven months and then lactating for four months, and then they have a month off and then do it all over again.

So female porcupines are either pregnant or lactating 11 months out of the year. Oh, God. They have, like, for their body size, one of the longest pregnancy periods of any mammal. So they're pregnant for about seven months and then lactating for four months, and then they have a month off and then do it all over again.

but they're only in estrus for like 12 hours every year. Wow. So what happens is they send out some pheromones in there or some kind of olfactory signal in their urine to say, I'm about to go into estrus. Like if there's any males around. And so that again is where the big nose comes in as I think males who are a couple of miles away can smell that.

but they're only in estrus for like 12 hours every year. Wow. So what happens is they send out some pheromones in there or some kind of olfactory signal in their urine to say, I'm about to go into estrus. Like if there's any males around. And so that again is where the big nose comes in as I think males who are a couple of miles away can smell that.

but they're only in estrus for like 12 hours every year. Wow. So what happens is they send out some pheromones in there or some kind of olfactory signal in their urine to say, I'm about to go into estrus. Like if there's any males around. And so that again is where the big nose comes in as I think males who are a couple of miles away can smell that.

So the males start congregating. And then there's a period of competition where generally the largest, I think one of the older males generally dominates and wins access to the female. Other males go away. And then the male who wins pees on the female, which is documented in Marty Stelfer's Wild America episode, The Prickly Porcupine. You can see it for yourself if you really want to.

So the males start congregating. And then there's a period of competition where generally the largest, I think one of the older males generally dominates and wins access to the female. Other males go away. And then the male who wins pees on the female, which is documented in Marty Stelfer's Wild America episode, The Prickly Porcupine. You can see it for yourself if you really want to.

So the males start congregating. And then there's a period of competition where generally the largest, I think one of the older males generally dominates and wins access to the female. Other males go away. And then the male who wins pees on the female, which is documented in Marty Stelfer's Wild America episode, The Prickly Porcupine. You can see it for yourself if you really want to.

Which is thought to stimulate estrus to actually happen. And then copulation takes about one to five minutes, and then they're doing it for about eight hours, and then they go their separate ways for another year.

Which is thought to stimulate estrus to actually happen. And then copulation takes about one to five minutes, and then they're doing it for about eight hours, and then they go their separate ways for another year.

Which is thought to stimulate estrus to actually happen. And then copulation takes about one to five minutes, and then they're doing it for about eight hours, and then they go their separate ways for another year.

I imagine so, yeah. So they'll do it and then take a couple minutes off for an hour off and then get back to it. Wow.