The Echidna's short snout

The short snout Echidna It is the only species of Echidna of Australia. It is easy to recognize by their sharp spines, short legs and long snout.

Measured between 30 and 45 cm.. and weigh between 2 and 5 kg. Found on Australia, including Tasmania. While found in all Australia, It is not as common in Sydney as it was before. The body, with the exception of the bottom, the face and the legs, It is covered with cream-coloured spines. These thorns, that it reach 50 length mm, they are actually modified hairs.

It lives in forests and woodlands, grasslands, heathland and arid environments.

The Echidna is shy and moves slowly. Is solitary most of the year, but in time of mating several males may follow a female. Their patterns of activity differ according to the location and temperature – in the warmer areas of Australia is completely nocturnal, through the rest of the day resting in the heat. It usually took refuge in rotten logs, stumps or Burrows, either under bushes. In more temperate areas activity occurs at sunset, While in the South of Australia the echidnas are often active during the day, especially during the winter.

If it bothers you, the echidna usually lowers the head, and with vigorous digging, sinks quickly on the floor, leaving only the visible spines. Hard surfaces are screwed into a ball showing defensive thorns in all directions.

The Echidna are adapted for digging very fast, with short limbs and powerful claws. The claws on the hind legs are elongated and curved back, to allow the cleaning and personal hygiene among the thorns.

Surprisingly, the echidnas they are good swimmers. They have been seen crossing beaches for swimming and wash in the sea.

The echidnas males, like its relative the Platypus , they have a spur on each retropie. However, Unlike the Platypus, the stimulus is overwhelming and the venom gland is not functional.

With their pointed snout and sharp claws, the Echidna's short snout they feed on termes, ants and other insects that captures with its sticky tongue. Occasionally it helps strong nails to open ANTHILLS and Serranía, especially when the Queen is found close to the surface. It also captures a lot of dirt in the process and it is expelled in feces.

Like the Platypus, the Echidna's short beak is a baffled mammal eggs or monotremes and lays an egg at once. The eggs hatch after a few 10 days and the young, emerges blind and hairless. It will remain in the pouch around two months licking the milk that slips by the hairs of the mother until the inside of the bag. When breeding spines begin to grow, It is deposited on the inside of a hole dug by the mother, He returns occasionally to feed until they reach six months of age. Milk is pink due to a protein that contains iron.

The Echidna is common and widespread. They are not as affected by deforestation as other native animals, since they can live anywhere that there is a supply of ants. Despite his cover of thorns, they have natural predators such as Eagles and demons from Tasmania, that even eat the thorns. They were the favorite food of the aborigines and early white settlers, although they are now fully protected by law.

  • Images of the Echidna's short snout

Photo 1: REUTERS / Tim Wimborne
Photo 2: wildlifeanimalz

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