Crested Porcupine
Hystrix cristata
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassMammalia (Mamífers)
- OrderRodentia (Rosegadors)
- FamilyHystricidae (Old World Porcupines)
- GenusHystrix
- SpeciesHystrix cristata (Crested Porcupine)
The crested porcupine (Hystrix cristata), also known as the African crested porcupine, is a species of rodent in the family Hystricidae native to Italy, North Africa, West Africa, Central Africa and East Africa. Alongside the Cape porcupine, it is one of the largest porcupine species in the world. It is the only species of porcupine found in Europe. Wikipedia →
Closest Relatives at Ngorongoro Conservation Area
African Grass Rat
Arvicanthis niloticus
Ochre Bush Squirrel
Paraxerus ochraceus
East African Spring-hare
Pedetes surdaster
Single-striped Grass Mouse
Lemniscomys rosalia
Typical Lemniscomys
Lemniscomys striatus
Heuglin's Lemniscomys
Lemniscomys zebra
Mesic Four-striped Grass Rat
Rhabdomys dilectus
Unstriped Ground Squirrel
Xerus rutilus
📅 Monthly Probability
Fewer than 5 records of Crested Porcupine at Ngorongoro Conservation Area — not enough to chart months honestly.
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kidepo Valley National Park | 🇺🇬 Uganda | |
| 2 | Murchison Falls National Park | 🇺🇬 Uganda | |
| 3 | Lake Manyara National Park | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 4 | Tsavo West National Park | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 5 | Samburu National Reserve | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 6 | Nairobi National Park | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 7 | Tsavo East National Park | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 8 | Mercantour National Park | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 9 | Tarangire National Park | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 10 | Ngorongoro Conservation Area | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 11 | Serengeti National Park | 🇹🇿 Tanzania |