The echidna with long horn (Zaglossus bruijni; in English: The Western Length-beaked Echidna ) is one of the four echidnas (and one of the three species of Zaglossus ) still existing in New Guinea. One finds fossils of this species in Australia. It is the most current species of the kind.

Description

It is a rather small mammal monotrème of about fifteen kilos for 90 cm length, whose back is covered with coarse prickles, with a muzzle long, pointed, downwards turned. It is toothless but has a long viscous language. It has strong and short legs with generally three claws at each end (against four for the others zaglossus) which are used to him to dig the ground to find their food or to hide in the event of danger. Because of their low temperature Homéotherme (32°C), the genitals of the male are dissimulated inside the body. In the female, there exists only one opening: the Cesspool urinary fecal and reproductive.

Distribution and habitat

One finds it only in New Guinea between 1300 and 4000 m of altitude in the alpine meadows and the wet forests In February 2006, a forwarding of " International" conservation; stated to have found a colony of this species in the Foja Mountains of the Papua province in Indonesia.

Food

It nourishes especially worms of ground

Reproduction

It is a Monotrème. The female lays an egg by its single anal opening which it deposits at once in its ventral pocket. The small one will put the shell with its horn and will remain in the ventral pocket until the appearance of the spines towards a weight of 400g

Protection

It is a protected space by the IUCN and hunting is prohibited except for the traditional populations which appreciate its delicate flesh

References

External bonds

Simple: Western Length-beaked Echidna