How many babies can echidnas have?

Answer 1

Echidna babies are not born: they are hatched, as echidnas are monotremes, i.e. egg-laying mammals. The female echidna lays a single egg in the rudimentary pouch she develops during breeding season.

There is a belief that echidna young are called "puggles". Even certain government wildlife departments are guilty of perpetuating this myth. This misnomer developed and spread by the appearance of a soft toy, called a puggle, which resembled a baby echidna.

Answer 2

It is unknown how many echidnas there are in Australia and on the island of New Guinea, the two places where echidnas are found. The echidna is common throughout Australia because it is very adaptable and can be found in all habitats, from sub-alpine regions to hot, semi-arid and arid desert regions. All it needs to survive is a ready supply of ants and termites to eat.

There are two recognised species of echidnas: the short-beaked echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus) of Australia, and the long-beaked echidna (Zaglosssus bruijni) of New Guinea. There are several sub-species of the long-beaked echidna: the Western long-beaked echidna, Sir David's long-beaked echidna and the Eastern long-beaked echidna. The Australian echidnas are not endangered, but the New Guinean echidnas are.

Answer 3

The echidna usually lays a single egg in a pouch (which is just a flap of skin) that it develops during breeding season.

Answer 4

A female echidna lays a single egg directly into her pouch, which is more like a flap of skin, which she develops during the breeding season.

Answer 5

A female echidna will lay a single egg into a rudimentary pouch she develops during the breeding season.

Answer 6

A female echidna does not give birth to live young, but lays eggs, being one of just two types of egg-laying mammals (the other being the platypus).She lays a single egg each breeding season.

Answer 7

An echidna generally lays just a single egg each breeding season.