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Echidna

Tachyglossidae

Photo by KerryHawkins
Published on Project Noah
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Field Notes

Description:

Sometimes known as the Spiny anteater. It is a Monotreme ( egg laying mammal ). Small solitary animal covered with coarse hair and spines. They have an elongated and slender snout which functions both as nose and mouth. They have very short, strong limbs with large claws and are powerful diggers. they have tiny mouths and toothless jaws. They have a long, sticky tongue which proteudes from it's snout to collect prey.

Habitat:

Australia and New Guinea

Notes:

This little fellow was collecting ants from a crack in some concrete before heading off.

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (4)

We saw another one this year at Bell in queensland but he curled up and would not have been a good photo. Have also seen them at Lakes Entrance in Victoria and south coast of NSW so they are all over.
A great find, Kerry. I don't often get to see these little guys.
Awesome pic, lucky to see one out in the open like that. It looks a bit like he's drawn a line in the ground with his nose, but I guess that's the crack in the rock he was feeding from? : )
Photographed
PublishedApril 25, 2013

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