Editing Porcupine (section)

==Uses by humans==
[[File:MAPElNorte041.JPG|thumbnail|Porcupine guard hair headdress made by native peoples from [[Sonora]] displayed at the [[Museo de Arte Popular]] in Mexico City]]
Porcupines are seldom eaten in [[Western culture]] but are eaten often in [[Southeast Asia]], particularly [[Vietnam]], where the prominent use of them as a food source has contributed to declines in porcupine populations.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/08/100825103830.htm |title=Wild Southeast Asian porcupines under threat due to illegal hunting, researchers find |publisher=Sciencedaily.com |date=2010-08-25 |access-date=2012-02-20 |archive-date=2019-04-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190421160439/https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/08/100825103830.htm |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|doi=10.1016/j.biocon.2010.07.030|title=The conservation impact of commercial wildlife farming of porcupines in Vietnam|year=2010|last1=Brooks|first1=Emma G.E.|last2=Roberton|first2=Scott I.|last3=Bell|first3=Diana J.|journal=Biological Conservation|volume=143|issue=11|pages=2808 |bibcode=2010BCons.143.2808B }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=Ettinger, Powell |url=http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/porcupine-vietnam.html#cr |title=Wildlife Extra News – Illegal hunting threatens Vietnam's wild porcupines |publisher=Wildlifeextra.com |date=2010-08-30 |access-date=2012-02-20 |archive-date=2019-01-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190128082742/http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/porcupine-vietnam.html#cr |url-status=live }}</ref> <!-- As mentioned, in Kenya porcupines are eaten as a delicacy.<ref name="BBC"/> -->

Naturalist [[William J. Long]] reported the taste of the North American porcupine as "vile" and "malodorous" and delightful only to a lover of strong cheese.<ref>{{cite book|last=Long|first=William J.|title=Wood Folk at School|publisher=Ginn & Company|location=Boston and London|year=1902|pages=116}}</ref>

More commonly, their quills and guard hairs are used for traditional decorative clothing; for example, their guard hairs are used in the creation of the [[Indigenous peoples of the Americas|Native American]] [[Roach (headdress)|"porky roach"]] headdress. The main quills may be dyed and then applied in combination with thread to embellish leather accessories, such as knife sheaths and leather bags. [[Lakota people|Lakota]] women would harvest the quills for [[quillwork]] by throwing a blanket over a porcupine and retrieving the quills left stuck in the blanket.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://aktalakota.stjo.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=8681 |access-date=29 June 2013 |title=Lakota Quillwork Art and Legend |archive-date=20 March 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140320012129/http://aktalakota.stjo.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=8681 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The presence of barbs, acting like anchors, causes increased pain when removing a quill that has pierced the skin.<ref name=Attenborough/> The shape of the barbs makes the quills effective for penetrating the skin and for remaining in place.<ref name=Cho2012>{{cite journal|doi=10.1073/pnas.1216441109|title=Microstructured barbs on the North American porcupine quill enable easy tissue penetration and difficult removal|year=2012|last1=Cho|first1=W. K.|last2=Ankrum|first2=J. A.|last3=Guo|first3=D.|last4=Chester|first4=S. A.|last5=Yang|first5=S. Y.|last6=Kashyap|first6=A.|last7=Campbell|first7=G. A.|last8=Wood|first8=R. J.|last9=Rijal|first9=R. K.|display-authors=9|journal=Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences|volume=109|issue=52|pages=21289–94|last10=Karnik|first10=R.|last11=Langer|first11=R.|last12=Karp|first12=J. M.|pmid=23236138|pmc=3535670|bibcode=2012PNAS..10921289C|doi-access=free}}</ref> The quills have inspired research for such applications as the design of hypodermic needles and surgical staples.<ref name=Cho2012/><ref name=":0">{{Citation|title=Porcupines Give You 30,000 Reasons to Back Off {{!}} Deep Look| date=9 April 2019 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZphlCdI2yqA| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211030/ZphlCdI2yqA| archive-date=2021-10-30|language=en|access-date=2020-05-14}}{{cbignore}}</ref> In contrast to the current design for surgical staples, the porcupine quill and barb design would allow easy and painless insertion, as the staple would stay in the skin using the anchored barb design rather than being bent under the skin like traditional staples.<ref name=":0" /> 

Porcupines are also sometimes kept as [[exotic pet|exotic pets]].