Echidnas are mammals.
On its back, sides and tail the echidna is covered with strong pointed spines.
In between the spines is coarse hair.
Its tummy is covered with soft hair.
The long pointy spines are its only form of protection.
When it's in danger the echidna pulls its head in and curls up into a ball to protect its tummy.
The echidna has a long snout. It's very sensitive to touch and it can feel vibrations. It also has a very good sense of smell.
When the echidna smells food like ants or termites it uses the claws on its feet to dig out its dinner.
It sends its long sticky tongue into the nest and flicks it around. The insects stick to the tongue and are then drawn into its tiny little mouth.
Echidnas need bushland to live in.
Echidnas can swim. They don't like the heat.
Echidnas are very unusual mammals because they lay eggs. Mammals that lay eggs are called monotremes.
The female curls up, lays an egg and keeps it warm in a pouch on her tummy.
About 10 days later a tiny baby hatches from the egg.
The tiny echidna baby is called a puggle. It's smaller than a jellybean.
Echidna mothers don't have nipples so the puggle prods a small patch of skin inside the pouch. This causes thick milk to ooze out. The puggle licks this up.
When the puggle is too big for the pouch and starts to get spines, its mum leaves it in a burrow while she looks for food. When its about 7 months old it will have to look after itself.
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