Echidna Facts
An echidna is a spiny, egg-laying mammal from Australia and New Guinea, one of the very few mammals alive that lay eggs.
- Class
- Mammal
About the echidna
Four echidna species survive today, and together with the platypus they make up the order Monotremata. The spines are modified hairs made of keratin, the same protein found in claws and nails. A long, slim snout works as both nose and mouth and carries electrosensors for finding prey. The short-beaked echidna mostly eats ants and termites, while long-beaked species prefer worms and insect larvae.
Without teeth, an echidna mashes food between its tongue and the floor of its mouth. Strong short limbs and big claws make it a powerful digger. It dislikes extreme heat or cold, sheltering in caves, rock cracks, under roots or even in old rabbit and wombat burrows. Its body runs at 33 °C (91.4 °F), the second-lowest of any mammal after the platypus. Despite the spines, it swims well.
Did you know?
- Baby echidnas are called puggles.
- The long-beaked echidna has about 2,000 electroreceptors on its snout, while a platypus bill has 40,000.
- Echidnas evolved between 20 and 50 million years ago from a platypus-like ancestor.
Questions about the echidna
Do echidnas lay eggs?
Yes. Apart from the platypus, no other living mammal lays eggs.
What do echidnas eat?
Short-beaked echidnas eat mostly ants and termites, and long-beaked echidnas mostly eat worms and insect larvae.
Sources
- Wikidata Q21824, checked October 8, 2026
- Wikipedia: Echidna, checked October 8, 2026
Facts are compiled from these open sources and rewritten in our own words. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.