Echidna
Echidnas are one of two mammals that lay eggs, they are called monotremes. These remarkable animals
get their name from Aboriginal culture, it means spiny fast tongue echidnas are well known for their
yellow spines with black tips.
Appearance
The echidna is easy to identify by its looks. The echidna can weigh 2 to 7 kg the echidna can grow 30 to
40 cm in length and 20 cm in width. The echidna has spines to protect them from their predators. They
have brown fur to keep them warm. The echidna has small stubby legs to dig holes, protect its self and
to push the dirt away.
Habitat
The echidna is found in New Guinea and Australia. The echidna has no pacific home they can be located
in highlands forest and deserts. The echidna has no fixed shelters. The echidna lives under bushes,
fallen, wood and also lives in small caves and burrows. When the echidnas young is suckling it stays in
one place.
Diet
The echidna is an insectivore. The echidna eats ants, termites and other small insects. The echidna sniffs
all other the ground for food. The echidna digs into ant and termite nests to find their food to survive
also uses its sharp claws to dig into the ground. The echidna sticks its snout into the ground to get its
food out of the nest. The echidna sticks its long sticky tongue in and out to get its food to eat. The
echidnas food will stick to its tongue and it pulls its tongue back in and grinds its food in its mouth.
Breeding
The echidna is a mammal that lays eggs [monotreme]. At the mating season which is around July to
August, the female echidna develops its pouch. Roughly 3 weeks after mating the echidna will dig a
burrow and then lay one leathery egg in to the pouch. The echidna will then incubate its egg for about
10 days and after this time it will hatch in the pouch.
Behavior
The echidna is a nocturnal animal that comes out at night. The echidna does this to escape from its
predators it also rolls up into a tight ball on the spot when its predator is on the echidna the echidna
pushes its prey up against its burrow wall. The echidna can not be bitten because its spines are sticking
up to stop it from getting bitten.
In conclusion the echidna is a unique looking native mammal. It has many different interesting
characteristics like spines made from hair it is an egg laying mammal [monotreme] and can survive in
many different climates I think the echidna is a great example of Australia fauna.