Our mystery animal is the echidna!

The echidna (say eh-kid-nah), also called the spiny anteater, belongs to a special group of mammals called monotremes. Monotremes are animals that lay eggs but feed their babies milk. Platypus are the only other animals that are monotremes in the world, and they are both found in Australia!

Echidna spines are hairs that have over time formed into long, hollow spines and are the animals main defence. They have amazing snouts that can sense insects and their movements, and using their 18cm(!) long tongue slurp them up. Echidna’s are warm blooded, but they have the lowest body temperature of any mammal, moving slowly during the day and going into hibernation over winter. They can often live up to 50 years!