{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Taxon",
  "slug": "echidna",
  "name": "Short-beaked Echidna",
  "scientificName": "Tachyglossus aculeatus",
  "category": "Mammal",
  "summary": "The short-beaked echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus) is a spiny, egg-laying monotreme that eats ants and termites across Australia and coastal New Guinea. Adults weigh about 5 kg, dig with powerful claws, and can live around 40 years. It is listed Least Concern, though some island populations face local pressures.",
  "conservationStatus": "Least Concern",
  "taxonomy": {
    "kingdom": "Animalia",
    "phylum": "Chordata",
    "class": "Mammalia",
    "order": "Monotremata",
    "family": "Tachyglossidae",
    "genus": "Tachyglossus"
  },
  "stats": {
    "weightKg": 5,
    "lengthM": 0.45,
    "topSpeedKmh": 15,
    "lifespanYears": 40
  },
  "facts": [
    {
      "label": "Scientific name",
      "value": "Tachyglossus aculeatus"
    },
    {
      "label": "Diet",
      "value": "Ants and termites"
    },
    {
      "label": "Habitat",
      "value": "Forests, woodland, scrub, and arid inland Australia"
    },
    {
      "label": "Lifespan",
      "value": "Around 40 years in the wild (varies by population and captivity)."
    },
    {
      "label": "Weight",
      "value": "About 5 kg typical adult mass (sex and region vary)."
    },
    {
      "label": "Top speed",
      "value": "Up to roughly 15 km/h when moving at speed."
    },
    {
      "label": "Conservation status",
      "value": "Least Concern (IUCN)"
    }
  ],
  "range": {
    "nativeRange": "Australia and coastal New Guinea, including Tasmania and many islands.",
    "continents": [
      "Oceania"
    ]
  },
  "sources": [],
  "lastReviewed": "2026-07-16",
  "canonicalUrl": "https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/echidna/",
  "license": {
    "name": "CC BY-NC 4.0",
    "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
    "attribution": "Global Animal Guide — https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/echidna/",
    "note": "Free to reuse for non-commercial purposes with attribution and a link back to the canonical page."
  }
}