Porcupines in Arizona

An Arizona Porcupine observed at Willow Lake in Prescott.  Link to iNat observation.  

Porcupines are infrequently observed in Arizona, with only 206 total observations on iNaturalist since 2009, of which 198 are positively identifiable.  (Compared to about 900 observations in New Mexico.)  

Of the 198 in Arizona, 35 were at Willow Lake in Prescott, 55 at Petrified Forest National Park in NE Arizona, and about 30 between Williams and Flagstaff.  The remaining 78 were observed in ecosystems across the state, except for the Sonoran desert.

102 were observed on the ground, but 24 were dead, and half of those (6% of the total) were roadkill (viewer discretion advised).

Porcupine dead on road in Prescott.  Link to iNat observation.

96 porcupines were observed using different tree species as habitat.  The most common tree was cottonwood (Populus fremontii), followed by Ponderosa Pine (Pinus brachyptera).  Willows (Salix goodinggii) were also frequent.  Porcupines were observed in all common tree species, including oaks (Quercus), Junipers (Juniperus), Pinyon pines, Elms, and Douglas Fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii).  

Porcupine in cottonwood tree, Willow lake. Link to iNat observation.