# Short-beaked Echidna (*Tachyglossus aculeatus*)

> 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.

- **Category:** Mammal
- **Conservation status (IUCN):** Least Concern
- **Range:** Australia and coastal New Guinea, including Tasmania and many islands.
- **Canonical page:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/echidna/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Scientific classification

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Chordata
- **Class:** Mammalia
- **Order:** Monotremata
- **Family:** Tachyglossidae
- **Genus:** Tachyglossus

## Facts at a glance

| Attribute | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Scientific name | Tachyglossus aculeatus |
| Diet | Ants and termites |
| Habitat | Forests, woodland, scrub, and arid inland Australia |
| Lifespan | Around 40 years in the wild (varies by population and captivity). |
| Weight | About 5 kg typical adult mass (sex and region vary). |
| Top speed | Up to roughly 15 km/h when moving at speed. |
| Conservation status | Least Concern (IUCN) |

## A mammal that lays eggs

Echidnas belong to Monotremata with the platypus — mammals that lay leathery eggs. A single egg incubates in a temporary pouch; the hatchling, called a puggle, laps milk from specialised skin patches rather than nipples. Dense spines cover the back, and when threatened the animal digs in or curls to present only spines.

## Ant and termite specialist

A long, sticky tongue flicks into nests while electroreceptors in the snout help detect prey underground. They lack teeth; grit in the stomach grinds insects. Short-beaked echidnas take ants, termites, and other soil invertebrates rather than large prey.

## From Tasmania to New Guinea

They occupy forests, woodland, scrub, and arid inland Australia, plus Tasmania and coastal New Guinea. Individuals may roam widely, sheltering in hollows, under logs, or self-dug burrows. They cope with heat by being largely crepuscular or nocturnal in hot districts.

## Roadkill and feral predators

The species is Least Concern overall, but vehicle strikes, habitat fragmentation, and foxes or cats on some islands reduce local numbers. In colder regions they may enter deep torpor lasting days to weeks when food and temperatures drop.

## Frequently asked questions

### Why do echidnas lay eggs?

They are monotremes — an ancient mammal lineage that retained egg-laying. The egg hatches into a tiny puggle that continues developing on milk, combining reptile-like reproduction with mammalian care.

### Are echidnas related to hedgehogs?

No. Spines evolved independently; echidnas are Australian monotremes, while hedgehogs are placental mammals from Eurasia and Africa.

### What is a baby echidna called?

A puggle — the same informal name sometimes used for baby platypuses — that is the usual English name for a young short-beaked echidna.

### Do echidnas have venom?

Male echidnas have spurs on the hind ankles, but unlike platypuses they are not considered dangerously venomous to humans.

### How long do echidnas live?

Wild adults often reach several decades; captive records approach or exceed 40 years, unusually long for a small mammal.

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/echidna/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.