The toothless Spiny egglaying Anteater Australias.
The toothless Spiny egglaying Anteater Australias.
When visiting Australia most often you look out for Kangaroos or Koalas. Once you been a few more times you start to appreciate other wildlife.
The Spiny Anteater Hedgehog Australias is one that we became fond of. Usually, you see them from the back. If so you can find Echidnas in forests and woodlands, hiding under bushes and roots.
Echidnas are solitary monotreme order of egg-laying mammals covered with coarse hair and spines. They can grow to about 4.5 kg female and male up to 6kg. Some of them get relatively old. Some are recorded to get 45 years old. Echidnas evolved something between 20 to 50 million years ago, descending from a platypus-like monotreme.
They don't like extreme hot temperatures so you find them mostly in the southern regions of Australia.
What makes them so special?
- These little critters are super special because just like the platypus, there are the only living mammals that lay eggs.
- With an active body temperature of only 33 °C, the echidna also possesses the second-lowest body temperature of all mammals. Just behind the platypus.
Thats the most common view on these shy animals. Many times we seen them but only from the back. May be thats why the echidna appears on the reverse of the Australian five-cent coin.
Took forever and some smooth tonge wispers to make hime comfortable with my voice and the situation. Then it turned around.
Go check them out! Appreciate every sighting!