Short-beaked echidna is an endemic species of Australia. It is classified into the genus Echidna of the family Echidna. It is also called a echidna, and its biggest feature is that it has a lot of thorns on its back. It is distributed in forests, savanna, and rainforest areas, and is sometimes called “Echidna”, which is likened to a half-human and half-snake monster in Greek mythology. This is because it has a rare ecology of laying eggs even though it is a mammal. The echidna was born 200 million years ago and is considered to be the most primitive species of modern mammals.
Habitat
It is distributed around the southeastern part of New Guinea, Australia.
Characteristic
The echidna is 30-50 cm long and weighs 2-8 kg. There are many thorns on my back. It has a proboscis with a protruding shape like an anteater. Although echidna is a mammal, it lays eggs. Mammals that lay eggs are monotreme only, but short-beaked echidna and platypus fall into this category. Often referred to as a living fossil. The tongue is elongated and can be extended out of the mouth by 15 to 17 cm. Instead, mouth doesn’t open very much. The top hair is black or dark brown, and the limbs and bottom hair are dark brown or brown. He likes to act alone and does not form a group.
Ecology
Short-beaked echidna eat ants and termites. Use your snout to dig up fallen leaves and undergrowth for prey, and use your long tongue to lick and eat food. It is highly adaptable to the environment and can live anywhere with food, such as grasslands, arid areas, and urban suburbs. Short-beaked echidna is a mammal but oviparous. During the breeding season, females make burrows and lay one egg after pregnancy. A newborn child is only 1.5 cm long and is very cute. Breastfeeding takes about half a year. It is said to live up to 45 years in the wild.
Endangered species
Although it is not an endangered species for the entire echidna, it is classified as a low concern and may become extinct in the future. This is because the population is decreasing overall. The echidna family also has a group of echidnas, Nagahashi echidna and Miyubi echidna on New Guinea, but Miyubi echidna is classified as an endangered species. Human deforestation and land development are reducing the areas in which echidnas can live. It has disappeared from many lands on New Guinea.
Breeding
Short-beaked echidna is a very rare animal and is not widely distributed. It is said that the Japanese yen is over 1 million yen, so it will not be easy to get it. In addition, since echidna eats ants, there is also the problem of how to supply food. You can see it at the zoo, Australia, and New Guinea, so please try it.
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