ECHIDNA - QUEEN OF FOREST

It is an endangered mammal having a name as spiny anteaters,belong to Tachyglossidae family.It is the egg laying mammal or an unusual mammal because we call the egg laying mammal as manotremaes.The only other egg-laying mammal is the duck-billed platypus.

LIFE STYLE

Echidnas are tiny mammals that are covered with curls and spines.It is a violent mammal and a lonely creature,It will be active on whole day.On its back, sides and tail the echidna is covered with strong critical spines,they have snouts which function for both the nose and mouth.It is very sensitive to touch and it need bush soil to live,they can swim and they are fond of heat.The Echidnas main provisions is a large supply of ants and termites

• Length: 14 to 30 inches
  

• Weight: 5.5 to 22 pounds

• Life span:50 years

TYPES

Zaglossus - long beaked
It has gloomy pelt that is almost completely hidden by covering a vaccant.

Tachyglossus - short beaked
It has petite fur and much more visible spines.

HABITAT

The Echidna has no fixed home except when the female is suckling its immature one. It will usually resides at scrubland and mosaic forest.

LOCATION

• Australia

• Tasmania

• New Guinea

DEFENCE

when it feels threatened

• Scamber away by its short legs on a rigid shell such as a road and rocks.

• Twist itself into a sphere, and only viewing sharp spines to its rival.
  

• Burrows down below the shell of the soil and showing only its spines .

BREEDING

• Gestation: 3 to 4 weeks

• Number of young at birth: usually 1, rarely 2 or 3

• Size at hatching: 0.47 inches (12 millimeters), 0.02 ounces (0.56 grams)

• Age of maturity: unknown

The tend develops a pocket at the start of the mating season occurs in the month of July and August.After this matting, the female residence a den and lays egg into the pocket, usually it will take 10 days for an egg to originate. The young one attaches itself to a milk space inside the pocket and suckles for the next 8 to 12 weeks.Once spines developed for the young one,the female Echidna comes back regularly and let the young Echidna suckle.

THREATS

• Man

• Dingoes

• Foxes ,feral cats, dogs

• Bushfires, Droughts