Britannica Web Sites
Articles from Britannica encyclopedias for elementary and high school students.
- echidna - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11)
Echidnas are unusual mammals. Along with their
Britannica Web Sites
Articles from Britannica encyclopedias for elementary and high school students.
- echidna - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11)
Echidnas are unusual mammals. Along with their relative the platypus, echidnas are the only living mammals that lay eggs. Echidnas are also called spiny anteaters.
- echidna - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)
The only living mammals that lay eggs are the platypus and the echidnas. Together, these animals make up the scientific order Monotremata. Echidnas are native to Australia, New Guinea, and nearby islands. They look somewhat like hedgehogs or porcupines but are not at all closely related to either. Also called spiny anteaters, echidnas have dome-shaped bodies that are covered with spines as well as fur. The spines protect these animals from predators. Echidnas can also wedge themselves into cracks and between tree roots and can dig themselves quickly into