Echidnas

RRRRR! A Tasmanian devil is stalking an echidna. When it reaches out to scratch, it gets something it didn't expect. A sharp, prickly spine is caught in the paw of the Tasmanian devil. It slowly limps away, surprised by the secret weapon of the echidna. Echidnas are also called Australian spiny anteaters because of their long spines and long snout like an anteater's. They explore termite mounds and when it's hungry, it digs in the round for termites to eat. It is okay if an echidna can't find food because they can go without food for a whole month! Echidnas are solitary animals and only get together when mating. Mating is a whole new story. Before mating, a  female echidna develops a flap of skin like a kangaroo's pouch. It takes a couple weeks  but eventually a 1 inch egg is laid. Echidnas are one of the only mammals that lay eggs. The female rolls up in a special way so the eggs fall into the pouch. After 10 or 11 days the eggs hatch. To break out of their shell, newborn echidnas have a special tooth called an egg tooth. After breaking out of the egg, soon the egg tooth falls out. After the baby hatches it stays in the pouch for almost 2 months. At this stage they nurse the mother from nice milk that flows through Mommy echidna's skin. After 2 more months the echidna is fully developed. Although it is a normal baby, it is only 6 to 8 inches. Now it is ready to leave Mommy's pouch. But Mommy still nurses it for about 4 to 5 months when baby stays close to her side. But when echidnas are solitary they sleep during the day in burrows or logs under dense bushes. Echidnas are definitely on the list of my top ten strangest animals. What do you think it would be like to have 2 inch long quills along your back?

By Tessa Sagner