The Echidna By Dael And Ashlee
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The Echidna along
with the Platypus is one of Australia's two Monotremes (laying egg mammals )
Echidnas (pronounced "E-kid-na") is sometimes referred to as a
Spiny Anteaters. They also look like Hedgehogs and Procupines in that they
all have sharp spines on their backs. The Echidna is found all over
Australia and can survive different temperatures and habitats. |
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Profile Size: between35 to 45 cm long Weight: between 2 to 7 kg Found: all over Australia Habitat: throughout Australia except in the coldest and driest areas. Description: prickly spines on back and a long sticky tongue for catching ants. Diet: They eat ants and termite that get stuck on their long sticky tongues. Their tongues are 180 mm long. They can poke their tongues in and out 100 times per minute. They can find ants and other insects using their sense of smell and powerful digging claws. Defence: When in danger the echidna curls up to protect its soft underparts. If on soft ground it will dig itself into the soil exposing only its sharp spines. |
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Millie. The Echidna was one of the three Olympic mascots for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Game. It was named Millie, after the Millenium. She was the groups' technology whiz and information source. Millie was well known for her colour, yellow! |
Millie the Echidna |
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The Australian Echidna is found all over Australia, though mostly nocturnal, in mild weather they can be seen during the day, but if the weather is extreme, either very hot or cold, echidnas will shelter under rocks, fallen timber or bury themselves underground. |
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When the Echidna is scared it circles up into a ball. An Echidna's legs come out from the side of its body rather than from underneath. The front feet are strong and used for digging. The back claws are used for grooming between the spines. The Echidnas dig burrows and sleep in it through the day and come out in the night. Echidnas are nocturnal animals. |
the Echidna |
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Did you know that the Echidna can.....
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The Skeleton The Echidna's skeleton is small. Its back is small and curved. Its head is long and the nose is long and pointy. |
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During mating season, the female Echidna lays one egg and holds it in her pouch. After ten days the egg hatches. The baby uses its milk tooth to break the egg shell. When the echidna is born it is a pinkish color. The baby echidna is about the size a small bean, 1.4 centimetres long. The young laps milk which sweats from the skin to the pouch. When it grows too big and spiny for the mother to carry, she leaves it in her den which she digs under a log, bush or rock. The echidna will leave the shelter only when its spines are fully developed. Like the Echidnas Relatives in North America the Echidna has over 6,000 spines in its little body. Each spine is sharp to protect the Echidna from its enemy. |
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Mini-Echidna's Recipe Makes 12 Ingredients: 1x340g packet Chocolate butter cake mix 2 egg 2/3 cups of water 75g butter softened 1,1/4cups milk melts, halved 12 chocolate-coated sticks biscuits 24 smarties Chocolate Icing 125g butter 2 cups icing sugar mixture 150gdark chocolate, melted |
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1. Lightly grease 12 holes of a muffin pan 2. Make cake according to directions on packet using eggs, water and butter. Spoon into prepared pans. 3.Cook in a moderate oven, 180C (350F), for about 20 minutes, or until cooked when tested. Stand for 5 minutes before turning on to a wire rack to cool. 4. Chocolate icing. Beat butter in a small bowl with an electric mixer until pale and smooth. beat and sift icing sugar mixture until pale and fluffy; gradually beat in chocolate until combined.
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5. Level top of each cake; reserve for another recipe. Cut each cake in half vertically , spread some of the icing over the top of each half. join cake halves together; turn on side. coat in remaining icing ;decorate using milk melts, biscuits and smarties. place cakes on a tray, cover, refrigerate until icing is set.
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