At 70, Ramli has found a ‘prickly’ retirement activity

When Ramli Ismail first brought home three pairs of Malayan porcupines in 2015, he was not trying to build a business – he simply liked the animals and wanted to see whether he could rear them successfully behind his house in Kampung Bukit Payong here.

Over the years, the animals bred steadily, and Ramli, now 70, found himself caring for a much larger colony than he had ever expected.

“I never thought they would multiply into dozens and help me earn extra money,” he told Bernama, adding that from just three wire-mesh cages when he started, he now has 22 enclosures.

At one point, the population reached 42. He now keeps 38 porcupines, each weighing between 8kg and 15kg.

The animals have required him to learn as he goes, from managing their diet and breeding cycles to ensuring they have enough space.

Indeed, as the numbers grew, so did the amount of space they needed. Ramli invested RM20,000 in 2018 to build additional cages, then added another enclosure two years later with RM20,000 in agency assistance.

The work has become part of his daily routine, but Ramli said the animals are relatively straightforward to feed. Their diet includes pellets, corn, grass and other plants, including leaves commonly given to goats.

“They are not fussy eaters,” he said.

Ramli holds a commercial licence from the wildlife and national parks department to rear and breed the species, and some of the animals are now sold as breeding pairs.

Malayan porcupines have a relatively short gestation period of around three to four months, allowing the population to grow more quickly than one might expect.

While a pair of porcupines can fetch around RM2,000, Ramli said the appeal of the venture is not only financial: it has given his retirement a regular rhythm and something unusual to care for every day.

Ramli also noted that porcupine meat sells for up to RM100 per kg. He said it can be prepared in several ways, including curries, soups and stir-fries, while deep-frying gives the skin a crisp texture.

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