Echidna (family Tachyglossidae)

Mammal Monotreme Egg-laying

Overview

Echidnas are spiny, egg-laying mammals of Australia and New Guinea. Together with the platypus, they form the monotremes — the only mammals that lay eggs. Covered in protective spines and equipped with a tubular snout and a long tongue, echidnas are specialised feeders on ants, termites, and other invertebrates. The animal shown here is the short-beaked echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus).

Slow-moving but powerful diggers, echidnas can wedge themselves into the ground or curl up to present only their spines when threatened. They are a living window into an ancient branch of the mammal family tree.

Conservation note: the short-beaked echidna is widespread and generally not of major concern, while the long-beaked echidnas of New Guinea are considered far more threatened. Because status differs by species, verify current details at iucnredlist.org.

Classification

Echidnas belong to the order Monotremata, which also contains the platypus. The family includes the short-beaked echidna and the long-beaked echidnas (genus Zaglossus) of New Guinea.

Habitat & Range

The short-beaked echidna is found throughout much of Australia and in parts of New Guinea, occupying a remarkable range of habitats — forests, woodlands, heath, and arid interior — wherever there are ants, termites, or other invertebrate prey and suitable ground for digging.

Diet & Feeding

Echidnas are toothless insectivores. The short-beaked echidna eats mainly ants and termites, opening nests with strong claws and gathering prey on a long, sticky tongue. Long-beaked echidnas rely more on earthworms and other soil invertebrates. Strong muscular action and hard pads help grind the food.

Behavior & Defence

Echidnas are mostly solitary and can be active by day or night depending on conditions, sheltering in burrows, logs, or vegetation. When threatened, an echidna may curl into a spiny ball or dig straight down to anchor itself, leaving only sharp spines exposed. They are good swimmers and surprisingly capable climbers.

Appearance & Recognition

Echidnas are covered in coarse hair interspersed with stiff spines, with a small head, a slender tubular snout, short powerful limbs, and large digging claws. The short-beaked echidna has a shorter, straighter snout than the long-beaked species. The combination of spines and a tubular snout makes echidnas easy to recognise and hard to confuse with any unrelated spiny animal.

Human Interaction & Conservation

The short-beaked echidna remains widespread, though individual animals face hazards such as roads and habitat change, while the long-beaked echidnas are of much greater conservation concern. As monotremes, echidnas are of special scientific interest. Consult authoritative sources for current, species-specific status.

More photos of the echidna