Short-beaked Echidna

Echidnas are possibly named after Echidna, a creature from Greek mythology who was half-woman, half-snake, as the animal was perceived to have qualities of both mammals and reptiles. An alternative explanation is a confusion with Ancient Greek: ἐχῖνος, romanized: ekhînos, lit. 'hedgehog, sea urchin'.

• Singular: echidna

• Plural: echidnas

The Noongar people from southwestern Western Australia call it the nyingarn. In Central Australia southwest of Alice Springs, the Pitjantjatjara term is tjilkamata or tjirili, from the word tjiri for spike of porcupine grass (Triodia irritans). The word can also mean 'slowpoke'. In the Wiradjuri language of Central NSW, it is called wandhayala.

In the central Cape York Peninsula, it is called (minha) kekoywa in Pakanh, where minha is a qualifier meaning 'meat' or 'animal', (inh-)ekorak in Uw Oykangand and (inh-)egorag in Uw Olkola, where inh- is a qualifier meaning 'meat' or 'animal'. In the highland regions of southwestern New Guinea, it is known as the mungwe in the Daribi and Chimbu languages. The short-beaked echidna is called miɣu in the Motu language of Papua New Guinea.

The short-beaked echidna is a small, round-bodied mammal with sharp black and cream-colored spines and coarse fur. A long, narrow "beak," a small mouth and sticky tongue, strong digging claws, lack exterior ears, strong limbs for burrowing, and many fur-like spines for defense are the echidna's main features. It can swiftly flick its tongue through and out to catch ants and termites. Echidnas, like platypuses, are not very good at electrical detection, or electroreception. This echidna is usually about 30 and 45 cm (12 and 18 in) long and weighs between 2 and 7 kg, depending on the region and season.

How a burrowing land mammal could have so many aquatic-looking characteristics was a mystery to biologists for decades. Echidnas actually descended from a semi-aquatic, platypus-like progenitor that left the ocean for land millions of years ago—an extremely uncommon reverse U-turn in mammalian evolution—according to groundbreaking genetic and fossil study. The order Monotremata, which includes egg-laying mammals, includes echidnas. The three species of long-beaked echidnas (Zaglossus) that are native to New Guinea and the platypus from Australia are their sole remaining relatives.

In Eastern Oceania and Southeast Asia, echidnas act as ecological "plows," constantly excavating for food while aerating the soil, mixing organic detritus, and encouraging seed germination. Echidnas can swim fairly well, but they resemble spiky pebbles. With only their snout and a few exposed spines above the water, they can paddle with ease and utilize their nose as a snorkel. They have thousands of electroreceptors in their snout, just like sharks and platypuses, which let them to detect the tiny electrical impulses released by moving insect prey.

As an insectivore, the short-beaked echidna occasionally consumes termites, ants, insect larvae, and worms. In the environment, they regulate insect populations, disperse nutrients by burrowing, and aerate soil while digging. They spend a large portion of their lives foraging and are primarily solitary. Dingoes, big raptors, goannas (monitor lizards), Tasmanian devils, thylacines, marsupial lions, crocodiles, quolls, pythons, madtsoiids, and red foxes are the primary predators of echidnas. Before their spines completely solidify, young echidnas are particularly susceptible.

Reproduction

A hilarious, slow-motion "conga line" of up to 10 eager males pursues a single female during the breeding season (May to September). She can be followed by this train for weeks. The men excavate a trench in the ground around her when she's ready. They drive one another out of this "mating rut" until the strongest male remains. The penis of male echidnas has four heads, which is extremely rare. Two heads "shut down" and shrink to accommodate the female's bifurcated (two-branched) reproductive tract, while the other two grow to ejaculate. With different partners, echidnas switch up which heads they use. The female deposits a solitary, leathery, jellybean-sized egg straight into a temporary pouch one month after mating. A hairless, pink infant known as a puggle hatches ten days later. Echidnas lack nipples, thus the mother secretes milk directly from two "milk patches" (areolae) on her skin, which the puggle consumes.

Reproductive cycle:

• Female lays a single leathery egg

• Egg is placed in a temporary pouch

• Baby (“puggle”) hatches after about 10 days

• Puggle drinks milk from special skin patches

• Mother later leaves it in a burrow while foraging

Baby echidnas are called:

• puggles/puggy

Shy and isolated, the short-beaked echidna was primarily nocturnal or crepuscular in hotter climes and active during the day in colder ones. In order to protect themselves, echidnas dig quickly downward, revealing only their spines, and wedging under rocks or logs. Echidnas are intelligent insectivores that can pick up basic skills in captivity. Despite their extreme gentleness and lack of aggression, human interaction can easily cause them upset. It is advisable to watch discreetly from a distance if you come across one.

Threats

• Habitat destruction

• Road accidents

• Wildfires

• Invasive and native predators such as foxes and dogs

• Climate change

Conservation Status

• IUCN Red List: Least Concern (LC) – IUCN Red List 

Conservation Efforts

• Habitat protection.

• Anti-poaching enforcement.

• Rescue and rehabilitation centers.

• Awareness campaigns against illegal pet trade.

The short-beaked echidna was found in portions of Papua New Guinea, Tasmania, southern West Papua, and mainland Australia. Forests, deserts, meadows, mountains, and coastal scrublands are among the habitats in which this species resides. They thrive in a variety of climates because to their extreme adaptability. The states of Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia, and Victoria are home to the nominate subspecies of short-beaked echidna.

• Movement Pattern: Not a Migrant

• Individual Type: Solo

• Population Trend: Stable

• Population: 1,000

• Locomotion: Amphibious

• Habitat: Montane Grasslands and Shrublands; Temperate Coniferous Forests; Temperate Broadleaf and Mixed Forests; Temperate Deciduous Forests; Temperate Grasslands, Savannas, and Shrublands; Subtropical Coniferous Forests; Subtropical Moist Broadleaf Forests; Subtropical Dry Broadleaf Forests; Subtropical Grasslands, Savannas, and Shrublands; Salt Flats; Stone Forest; Tropical Coniferous Forests; Tropical Moist Broadleaf Forests; Tropical Dry Broadleaf Forests; Tropical Grasslands, Savannas and Shrublands; Mediterranean Forests, Woodlands, and Scrub; Deserts and Xeric Shrublands; Badlands; Fallow Airbase; Flooded Grasslands and Savannas; Swamp; Bayous/Billabongs; Air-breathing Coral Reefs; Warm Ghost Town; Cold Ghost Town; Ruined Skyscraper.

• Earth: 

  • Extant (Resident): Australia (South Australia, Tasmania, Northern Territory, New South Wales, Western Australia, Victoria, Australian Capital Territory, Queensland); Indonesia (West Papua); Papua New Guinea

Our world

In general, short-beaked echidnas shouldn't be kept as pets. These factors include the necessity for a specific diet, the need for challenging care, the ease of stress, and the fact that wildlife regulations are in existence in many regions. Usually, only zoos and licensed wildlife facilities are able to legally retain them.

Rapunzel's world

Alternatively, if you are a Templar, Assassin, or Hunter member, you must steal an echidna's egg in order to tame it. These echidnas are domesticated as soon as they hatch because the survivor is always within 14 radii of the hatching egg. If an echidna isn't already tamed, you can use worms, bugs, ticks, and krills, all of which can be acquired from a variety of places. 

TBA

Past and Present Incidents Individuals

• TBA

The Recollections of Queen Arianna Individuals

• TBA

• TBA

• TBA

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Short-beaked_echidna

• https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/41312/21964662