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SPECIES PROFILE

Short-beaked Echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus)

Tachyglossus

IUCN STATUS

Least Concern

Short-beaked Echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus) — Found throughout Australia, including Tasmania, and also in New Guinea

CONSERVATION STATUS

Least Concern

CLASS

Mammalia

GEOGRAPHICAL RANGE

Found throughout Australia, including Tasmania, and also in New Guinea

DIET

Insectivorous

HABITAT

Wide range of habitats from deserts to rainforests, but prefers areas with soft soil for burrowing

🔬 Classification

PHYLUM

Chordata

CLASS

Mammalia

ORDER

Monotremata

FAMILY

Tachyglossidae

GENUS

Tachyglossus

📋 Description

SIZE

Up to 45 cm long, including the spines; weight ranges from 2 to 7 kg

COLORATION

Spines are typically brown or black, with fur between them that can be black, brown, or even cream

ADAPTATIONS

Spiny dorsal armor for protection, long snout for feeding, and strong claws for digging

🌿 Ecology

HABITAT

Wide range of habitats from deserts to rainforests, but prefers areas with soft soil for burrowing

DIET

Insectivorous

GEOGRAPHIC RANGE

Found throughout Australia, including Tasmania, and also in New Guinea

REPRODUCTION

Lays one egg which it incubates in a pouch; after hatching, the young feeds on milk from mammary patches

DIET DETAILS

Feeds mainly on ants and termites, using its long, sticky tongue

⚠️ Threats & Conservation

PRIMARY THREATS

Habitat fragmentation, roadkill, and predation by introduced species

💡 Interesting Facts

1

Monotreme Marvels: Short-beaked echidnas, one of five monotremes, lay a single egg in a pouch, foraging 2,000 ants daily with a 15 cm tongue in Kakadu’s woodlands. Their millions-strong population thrives across diverse habitats, though roads kill 5,000 yearly.

2

Spiny Shields: Curling into a spiny ball in Lamington’s forests, their 5 cm spines deter dingoes, while digging 50 kg of soil monthly aerates ecosystems. Their torpor, seen in Cradle Mountain, conserves energy in cold climates, ensuring survival despite habitat fragmentation.

🔭 Sighting Guide

📍 BEST PLACES TO SIGHT

Kakadu National Park in Northern Territory has Yellow Water Billabong woodland areas for echidna sightings

Lamington National Park in Queensland features Binna Burra section forest trails for echidna sightings

Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park in Tasmania offers visitor center walking tracks for echidna sightings

🗓️ BEST TIME TO SIGHT

April-October. Cooler months make echidnas more active in forests for foraging.

🎯 SIGHTING TIPS

Search leaf litter at midday to see echidnas foraging.