The Short-Beaked Echidna hibernates in the autumn and winter. This Echidna has a panniculus carnosus which is just beneath the skin that covers all over the body. This echidna can change itself when threatened by another animal it can roll into a ball and with the help of its' sharp spines on the tip which keeps other predators away from it. What this echidna uses to catch prey is its tongue and the tongue has sticky mucus that allows getting ants and termites.

 

The echidna's tongue is so fast it can come out one hundred times in one minute. Its ears can't take very loud sounds because it will hurt them. Its ears are used to hear what is around. The underside of a female Echidna, the pouch which carries her eggs is shown in the middle of the abdomen. Echidna's babies are about 1.5 centimeters long and weigh between o.3 and o.4 grams.

 

Echidna's babies are called puggles. Echidna's can live up to forty-five years old. Echidnas don't have a specific home but live around the world but as long as there is a well good supply of food. They look for food with their smell. The Short-beaked Echidna is not endangered. The Short-beaked Echidna is mostly found in Australia. In conclusion, I learned a lot about the Short-beaked Echidna.

 

Author: Jocelyn F

Published: 02/2007

 

Photo Credit: 08:58, 4 January 2007 . . Fir0002 (Talk | contribs) . . 1600×1067 (739,936 bytes) (A wild shortbeak echidna, taken in Swifts Creek, Victoria)