Here's how to proceed if you ever get attacked by a porcupine

Coyote Peterson, the American host of Breaking Trails, decided to go through an experience few people would like to live voluntarily: targeting a porcupine, the second largest rodent in North America, behind only the beaver.

The animal you see in the video above was bred in captivity and is therefore used to dealing with the proximity of humans and cameras close to it, but in nature these creatures are usually more risky and avoid contact whenever possible. The spines of these animals are actually hairs with a more rigid structure, which the animal can shoot at close range as a defense mechanism when feeling hunted.

The presenter says in the video that these thorns grow back naturally, and the rodent does not suffer any injuries from firing them or while producing more of them, but the same cannot be said of those who carry a hail of spurs. If you happen to be strolling through a forest and accidentally end up with thorns on your skin, do not try to pull them out, as they have microscopic splinters on the end that can wreak havoc.

Peterson, after being spiked on purpose, explains that it is first necessary to cut the tip of each thorn, which decreases the pressure within it and facilitates removal. Then you need to rotate the sting to reduce the effect of the splinters and then pull the object out of the skin. The procedure is the same in case a pet gets hit by the stingers, but the whole process will probably be much more complicated.

* Posted on 1/17/2016