The echidna is covered with fur and sharp spines that are used to guard them from harm. Where it is warmer in the north, the colour of the echidna is brown whereas in the cooler south, they are black.
As I said before, what makes them a monotreme is the fact that they lay eggs. They do this rather than have live birth. For the echidna mating occurs during the winter months and around 22 days later, the female will lay a soft leathery egg directly into her pouch. After ten days, a baby emerges from the egg and the size of it is no larger than a jellybean. It suckles from two milk spores in the pouch and stays there for up to 55 days. During this time it begins to develop spines. After all this, the mother digs a burrow for the young one and comes again five or so days to suckle it for an extra seven months.
The platypus is the other monotreme. It's appearance shocked early scientists and were first thought to be a joke. It has a sleek fur-covered body, webbed feet and a smooth, leathery bill.
During June to October is the time to breed for the platypuses but can occur earlier in northern latitudes. Mating takes place in the water and from about 12-14 days, the female lays 3-2 eggs in a nesting burrow. These eggs are incubated by the mother's belly and tail and hatch after about a fortnight. By six weeks of age they have grown fur, have opened their eyes and may leave the burrow for short periods of time. Sooner or later they are weaned by 5 months of age.
I think that these are very interesting creatures that we should all look out for.
The echidna
The platypus
1 comment:
Well done!!!! :)
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