RARE Long-beaked Echidna Discovered and Eaten
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Attenborough’s long-beaked echidna is a little-known, primitive egg laying mammal found in Papua New Guinea. Only one specimen was ever found by scientists in 1961.
Fears that one of the world’s rarest creatures had been driven to extinction have been alleviated by a tribesman who told conservationists he had recently eaten one. “I didn’t know creature was rare.” Said a tribesman who liked it well done.
The villager had trapped it in a snare and eaten it in the jungle, unaware of how rare and sought-after the echidna was. “It was delicious.��? he said.
Zoologists have found new evidence that proves the echidna is still alive while on an expedition. Seven people told the scientists that they had seen the spiny creature — a relative to the platypus. The long-beaked echidna was named in honor of the naturalist Sir David Attenborough
Further proof of the echidna’s survival was found in the form of holes in the ground, revealing where the creature had been 
hunting for worms to eat. The holes are created by the animal’s distinctive beak. It had pressed so far into the soft mud in areas that it had left impressions of its head in the ground. Burrows were also found, but none were discovered occupied.
Sir David Attenborough was delighted to learn that a creature was still alive. “That is good news,��? he enthused. “Of course, I’m delighted. I would like to meet it.��?
The expedition’s mission — led by Dr. Jonathan Baillie of the ZSL — to find the echidna was part of the Zoological Society of London’s Edge program which aims to find, learn about and help to protect some of the world’s most endangered creatures. Dr. Baillie said the discovery that villagers in the Cyclops Mountains of Papua New Guinea were familiar with the echidna was immensely reassuring, even if they did eat them occasionally. Photo top Paul in Skelleftea, center Ausemade, bottom John Lyle
Now that it’s been established that they’re alive, he’s planning to return to set up camera traps in the hope of photographing one of the shy, nocturnal animals. He said that the conversations with villagers and the nose impressions in the ground indicated that the species had a much wider range than previously believed.
The original echidna was discovered at 1,600 meters (1750 feet) up a mountain. They’re estimated to live in an area of 100 square kilometers (60 miles).
Tribesmen in the Cyclops Mountains — called Payangko by locals — provided scientists with information about the echidnas. The animals are well-enough known to have a place in tribal culture. Peace is said to return to villages where families suffer long-standing rivalries if one of the leading tribesmen catches an echidna and shares its meat with the rival.
Attenborough’s long-beaked echidna, Zaglossus attenboroughi, was first found in 1961 and sent to the National Museum of Natural History in Leiden in the Netherlands for storage.
But it wasn’t until it was analyzed by Professor Tim Flannery and Professor Colin Groves in 1998, that it was realized the animal represented an unrecognized species.
Dr Baillie added, “In addition to Attenborough’s echidna, we found an astonishingly vast array of biodiversity, some of which is highly unlikely to be known to science.��?
There are four species of echidna, three long-beaked and one short, which with the platypus are the only known egg-laying mammals. They derive from a primitive group of mammals that split from the mammal family tree 150 million years ago. Attenborough’s long-beaked echidna is one of the three species of long-beaked echidnas in New Guinea. It is about half the size of the others.
Echidna
These slow-moving creatures have a bulbous forehead and a long snout to collect their food. Males have a spur on the ankle of the hind leg, but unlike that of the platypus, it’s not venomous. They have a long sticky tongue that extends perhaps
17 centimeters beyond the end its snout.
Echidna – Sydney Australia
Echidna Eating
Echidna eating at Platypus House, Tasmania. Watch and be amazed.
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That last video is amazing!!! Wow!
I was amazed by how the echidna eats myself Tam. You have to see it to believe it
they’re cute little mammals Deborah !!!!
Dave had a pet echidna called PJ when he lived in Tasmania…..:)…we call them ant eaters over here for obvious reasons…..;)
They’re adorable! It’s hilarious to watch them eat
Their appearance reminds me of porcupines, other than the snout.
Oh my goodness, the last video is really amazing. Their tongue is long tho lol. They look cute.