Philippine porcupine
species of mammal
The Philippine porcupine or Palawan porcupine (Hystrix pumila) is a species of rodent in the family Hystricidae (Old World porcupines) endemic to the island of Palawan in the Philippines. It is known locally as durian or landak.
Apparently, its population is stable, but it is reported to be persecuted by farmers as pests in coconut plantations. Locally common to uncommon, the species is found in primary and secondary forest in the mountains and in the lowlands. This species also inhabits caves, but is commonly found under tree buttresses or in rock crevices. It is endemic and restricted to the Palawan Faunal Region. It has been recorded in the islands of Busuanga, Calauit, and Coron, and on the mainland at the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park, and the forested areas of El Nido.
This mammal appears to have no natural enemies. Its outer covering of spines serves as its protection and defense system. It measures about 42–93 cm (1.38–3.05 ft) long, not counting a tail of about 2.5–19 cm (0.98–7.48 in) and weighs 3.8–5.4 kg (8.4–11.9 lb).
This brief starts where responsible research should: with the source description of “Philippine porcupine” as species of mammal. Everything that follows is an evidence route, not borrowed authority.
Why this record matters
The subject matters to the science & nature register because the source frames it as species of mammal. Its deeper value depends on whether names, dates, institutions and citations support that framing.
Datasets, specimens, observations and peer-reviewed methods provide the appropriate test for the technical claims summarized here. The source revision retrieved here is dated Oct 16, 2025. The linked authority identifier is Q1767321. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference.
Scientific names, classifications and consensus can change while older terminology persists in catalogues and historical literature. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
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This entry incorporates text from “Philippine porcupine” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.