Echidna

The reason I chose an echidna is because I think they are a unique animal and I like that they have quills instead of just fur. An Echidna is a native Austrailan animal. Their real name is Tachyglossus Aculeatus. The Echidna is a marsupial because they have a pouch but they belong to the monotremata which has four different species of Echidna and one species of platypus. These species are only found in Australia and New Guinea.

Echidnas use their sharp quills to protect themselves from predators. Their quills are pale yellow with black tips. Their body is covered in brown coarse hair. Echidnas mainly eat ants, termites and sometimes beetles, grubs. An Echidnas habitat is always near a good supply of ants to eat, they live in many different location such as think bushes, near rocks, hollow logs and maybe steal other animals habitats.

Echidnas have four short but very strong and powerful legs. They have have 5 claws on each leg. Echidnas tails are short with no hairs and no spines. They grow up to 35-50 cm in length with a 10cm tail. They weigh on average 2 to 7 kilograms.

An Echidnas life expectation is 45 years. Baby echidna are called puggles. The female lays one egg and in 10 days it hatches and it is allowed to leave the pouch in four weeks.