Porcupine population in the Similipal Forest Range is fast dwindling and is in danger of completely disappearing in a few years if proper measures are not taken immediately.
Once a commonly found species, today there are only 148 porcupines left in the forest, as per the animal census of 2001.
Porcupines belong to the Rozentina group of mammals, which grow up to a metre in length. Their body is covered in a thick coat of spikes which act as a device of self defence. Their weight on an average is 20 kg.
The animal generally prefers to move around at night and is known as the night watchman of the jungles. It has also attracted the attention of wildlife enthusiasts because of the loyalty with which a pair of porcupines stick to each other for life. It produces a litter brood of four to five every year. Tribals here kill it to use its spikes as arrow-heads.
The animal is of interest to the cosmetic industry because a particular eye lotion made from its spikes fetches heavy price. In Britain and France, opera artistes used to wear costumes made of the spikes and currently, it is a craze among the rock groups of US.
Even though the Similipal porcupines have not attracted the poachers eye, yet their numbers are fast dwindling in the 2,750 sqkm sanctuary.
Environment watchers have stated that it is mainly due to natural causes that the species is fast dwindling in the area.
The herbivorous animal when attacked by bigger animals fights back ferociously and often loses some of its spikes in the process. The broken spikes cause deep wounds on its body which do not heal easily and eventually result in its death. Earlier tourists visiting to Similipal were able to get porcupine spikes en route, but they are rare nowadays, said Ruhia Majhi, a local tribal of Gudgudia village of the Similipal sanctuary area.