The echidna, also referred to as the spiny anteater, is a singular mammal native to Australia and New Guinea. It’s coated in sharp spines and has an extended, pointed snout. The echidna’s title comes from the Greek phrase “echinos,” which suggests “hedgehog.” Regardless of its superficial resemblance to hedgehogs, the echidna is extra carefully associated to the platypus.
The echidna is an egg-laying mammal, and the feminine lays a single egg in a burrow. The egg hatches after about 10 days, and the younger echidna, known as a puggle, stays within the burrow with its mom for a number of months. The echidna is a solitary animal and isn’t territorial. It feeds on ants and termites, which it catches with its lengthy, sticky tongue.
