What is the western long-beaked echidna?
Q: What is the western long-beaked echidna?
A: The western long-beaked echidna is a type of echidna that lives in New Guinea and has also been found in Australia.
Q: How many living echidnas are there?
A: There are four living echidnas, three of which are species of Zaglossus.
Q: Where does the long-beaked echidna live?
A: The long-beaked echidna lives in alpine meadow and humid forests in the mountains, at elevations of between 1300m to 4000m above sea level.
Q: What do Western long-beaked echidnas eat?
A: Unlike the short-beaked echidna which eats ants and termites, the long-beaked species eats earthworms.
Q: How has the population of long-beaked echidnas been affected?
A: The population of long-beaked echidnas has been reduced by habitat loss and hunting, and the species is now endangered.
Q: What distinguishes the western long-beaked echidna from other Zaglossus species?
A: The western long-beaked echidna can be distinguished from other Zaglossus species by the number of claws on the front and back feet, as it has three (rarely four) claws.
Q: What is special about echidnas and platypus?
A: Echidnas and platypus are monotremes, the only mammals to lay eggs.
