Echidna
Behavioural adaptations
- When echidnas are frightened they curl up into a ball, with its sharp spines sticking out, to escape from predators such as eagles or dingos.
- Female echidnas dig burrows for their young once their young starts to develop its spines and the mothers cannot carry it in her pouch any longer.
- Female echidnas dig burrows for their young once their young starts to develop its spines and the mothers cannot carry it in her pouch any longer.
Physiological adaptations
- Echidnas are able to tolerate high levels of carbon dioxide, which is important for an animals which burrows for protection. They also tolerate lower oxygen levels which is beneficial when bush fires occur.
- When floods occur, echidnas can dive underwater, their heart rate drops, which saves oxygen needed by the brain and the heart.
- When floods occur, echidnas can dive underwater, their heart rate drops, which saves oxygen needed by the brain and the heart.
Structural adaptations
![Picture](/uploads/3/9/6/0/3960111/9503652.png)
- Echidnas have sharp claws for digging, the compact shape of its muscular body and strong forelegs also help this animal to dig.
- Echidnas have a long tongue which contains sticky saliva, with which it eats ants and termites.
- This animal has a long snout which makes it easy to burrow for ants, worms and termites.
- Echidnas have a long tongue which contains sticky saliva, with which it eats ants and termites.
- This animal has a long snout which makes it easy to burrow for ants, worms and termites.