Few animals are as captivating as echidnas – and their young, known affectionately as puggles, are even more curious.
There are four living species of echidna in the world. They are found in Australia and New Guinea, and are one of only two types of monotreme – mammals that lay eggs rather than giving birth to live young (the other one is the platypus).
After laying a single leathery egg, the mother echidna places it into her pouch, where it hatches about 10 days later.
This incredible video offers an intimate look at the first few days in the life of a baby echidna. The footage was captured on Kangaroo Island, South Australia.
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At birth, a puggle is tiny, blind and hairless, weighing between one and two grams. It remains nestled in the mother’s pouch for up to two months, feeding on rich, nutritious milk secreted from specialised glands, as monotremes have no teats.
During this time, soft spines begin to develop, and once they become too prickly, the mother moves her youngster to a burrow, returning every few days to feed it.
Puggles grow slowly, gradually exploring the world around them. It can take up to a year for them to become fully independent.
Despite their delicate beginnings, echidnas are incredibly hardy, perfectly adapted to their environments, from arid deserts to cool highland forests.
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