The hind legs point backward, with an extra-long claw on the second toe that can be used to “comb” or scratch out dirt and bugs that get wedged between the echidna’s spines. The echidna’s short legs are ideal for digging. The beige-and-black spines on all four species, which are about 2 inches (5 centimeters) long, help camouflage the echidna in the brush. Long-beaked echidnas have less fur and more visible spines. The short-beaked echidna has dark fur almost completely hidden by a covering of hollow, barbless quills, called spines, on its back and sides. The eyes don’t help the echidna see well, but its acute sense of hearing and smell give this unusual mammal the information it needs to know to survive. Echidnas may be active during the day, evening, or both, depending on the season and food sources.Īn echidna has a tiny face with small eyes and a long nose, sometimes called a beak. They are solitary creatures and mind their own business. There are only five monotremes in the world: four echidna species, and one platypus species.Įchidnas are found throughout Australia, Tasmania and New Guinea, from the highlands to the deserts to the forests. But what really sets echidnas apart from other mammals? Female echidnas lay eggs! Egg-laying mammals are called monotremes. The echidna has remained unchanged since prehistoric times, finding ways to survive while other species became extinct. It is so different from any other that it still puzzles researchers and scientists. The echidna (ih-KID-na), sometimes called a "spiny anteater," is an unusual mammal.
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