The Echidna
I detailed a description of an echidna including adaptations, description, breeding, diet, habitat protection and behavior.
Classification
The Echidna is a monotreme which is one of the groups of animals belonging to the mammal family. He is one of the two monotremes in the world. Tachyglossus aculeatus is the scientific name for the echidna. Tachyglossus means fast moving tongue.
Adaptations
The echidna has adapted itself to the environment by growing long spikes for defense against predators and has grown a very long and sticky tongue for eating ants and termites. They have also adapted to dig fast for defense.
Description
The echidna has huge spikes on its back with fur in between the spikes. It has a long snout to catch its food and a long tongue which is sticky to catch food. Males have a spur on the back of their hind legs but unlike the platypus, it isn’t poisonous. They range between 30cm and 45cm inches and range between 2-8 kgs. Females are usually smaller than the males. They can be found from black to blond but are usually dark colored.
Habitat:
Echidnas live everywhere from cold mountains to hot desert and where ever ants and termites live. The ones that live in the cold areas hibernate and to survive in the warmer areas they will burrow into the sand.
Protection
To protect itself against enemies it will burrow its’ belly into the ground so that only the spikes are showing or it will role up into a ball.
Behavior
The Echidna is a shy and slow animal. It will live by itself but when mating season is around, males will follow females.
Diet
Their diet consists of mainly ants and termites but they may also eat other invertebrates such as worms, larvae and grubs. They have no teeth so they crush their food up.
Breeding
Mating season for echidnas is between June and September. The female lays the eggs 2 weeks after mating. The eggs will hatch in 10 days and once hatched they will remain in the pouch for 2-3 months. When out of the pouch, over the next 6 months, the parents will gradually stop suckling the baby and it will be let off.
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12 Responses to “The Echidna”
On May 5, 2007 at 4:16 pm
A simple but informative article, I love echidnas!
On February 25, 2008 at 5:26 am
very good and i say simple to understand but im not sure about echidnas living up in could mountains.
On March 5, 2008 at 9:06 pm
Katie, many echidnas actually do live in the Australian Alps. I found this article very informative; I’m doing a report on echidnas and this helped me a lot:)
On February 10, 2009 at 12:03 am
Well done on this fine report!
It is very informative and well produced, you should be proud of your achievement, this has certainly helped me out!
On February 10, 2009 at 12:41 am
Wonderful! This helped out a lot on my report.
On March 14, 2009 at 6:55 pm
This information is simple but gives alot of infomation to people who need to fine out about echidnas fast!!!
On March 24, 2009 at 12:19 am
i am 9 and doing a assiment about Echidnas.Please HELP me
On March 25, 2009 at 4:08 pm
do your own work Amy!!!! >:(
no one likes you.
On April 3, 2009 at 10:58 pm
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On May 3, 2009 at 6:07 am
this is boring!
On June 17, 2009 at 10:04 pm
u are losers lol
On July 30, 2009 at 6:08 am
i am bored.
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