ANIMAL: Sir David’s Long-Beaked Echidna Zaglossus attenboroughi Type of Animal: Echidna Habitat: Mountain forest Location(s): Cyclops Mountains of NE West Papua Appearance: Smallest species of long-beaked echidna & 2nd smallest echidna species, dark to black coloration, raw umber brown fur, white spines, long snout Food/Diet: Worms, termites, ants, insect larvae Status in Wild: Critically Endangered Conservation: Cyclops Mountains Strict Nature Reserve created in 1978 to protect this species Lifestyle: Solitary Additional Info: Called: Male Female Young: Puggle Group: Solitary Weight: Male: 20-22 lbs Female: 11-13 lbs Young: 1 lb Gestation: 2 months Life Span: 15-16 years Body Length: Male: 1 ft Female: 0.9 ft Tail Length: 0.4 in, same for both sexes Main predators are dogs. Active at night (nocturnal). Species described from single damaged specimen collected in 1961. Critically endangered due to habitat loss/destruction, introduction of dogs, & hunting for meat. Roll into spiny ball when threatened. These animals are extremely elusive. Systematic revision of genus Zaglossus by Tim F. Flannery & Colin P. Groves in 1998 split Long-Beaked Echidna into 3 species-this species, the Western Long-Beaked Echidna, & the Eastern Long-Beaked Echidna. These animals thought to be extinct until “nose pokes” found-these “nose pokes” very distinctive resulting from feeding technique in which they poke & slurp up food through tube-like beak. One of the oldest living mammal species. They are very powerful diggers. While they lack teeth, the tongue has teeth-like spikes. They have an excellent sense of smell. Males have ankle spurs which are used in fights as well as in defense. Locally known as Payangko. 1 of only 5 mammal species to lay eggs-all being from order of egg-laying mammals called Monotremes. The snout is 8 inches long. Fun Fact(s): Meat sometimes used as peace offering between rival parties. Like other Monotremes but unlike other mammals, they have single opening for peeing/pooping/breeding-the cloaca. Also called Attenborough’s Long-Beaked Echidna & Cyclops Long-Beaked Echidna. Former named for famous naturalist Sir David Attenborough & latter for its range. Sir David name & scientific name also honor the famous naturalist.
