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Aussie wildlife trivia
We did not know how lucky we were to have seen an echidna in the early days of our trip. We had to stop the car for it to walk across the road but sadly by the time we found the camera it was off into the bush. Blithely we though that there would be plenty of other photo opportunities but the spiny creature has remained elusive ever since.
The echidna or spiny anteater is an unusual creature with a beak like a bird, a pouch like a marsupial, produces milk like a mammal, lays eggs like a reptile, and may live for up to 50 years. It is one of only 3 monotremes ( mammals which lay eggs) the others being the platypus and the long-beaked echidna of Papua New Guinea. After a single leathery egg is laid it is guided by the mummy echidna's tail into the shallow pouch and then 10 days later the 1.3cm long "puggle" is hatched. The little puggle stays in the pouch for about 7 weeks or until it starts to grow spines. Mum then leaves the little creature all alone in the den popping back about once a week. Echidnas are really quite intelligent and are found throughout Australia wherever there are ants, which are caught on its long tongue that is coated with saliva. Yummy. A crazy creature that we still hope to see again before we leave next week. Fingers and spines crossed.
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Min Dear little Mrs Pricklepin .Isnt nature so diverse!Enjoy Singapore, no doubt you will enjoy visiting your old haunts!!