Mammals
Western Long-beaked Echidna
Zaglossus bruijnii · also called Bruijn's long-beaked echidna
On the damp floor of a New Guinea mountain forest, a western long-beaked echidna pushes its long curved snout into the leaf litter and flicks out a spiny tongue to catch an earthworm.
Overview
The western long-beaked echidna, Zaglossus bruijnii, is a Critically Endangered egg-laying mammal of the mountain forests of western New Guinea. Its long snout, earthworm diet, and rarity make it one of the most unusual and least-known mammals in the world.
A rare relative of the echidna
Although it looks like a larger version of the short-beaked echidna, the long-beaked echidna lives only in New Guinea’s mountains and is far scarcer.
Status
Critically Endangered, with a decreasing population.
Western Long-beaked Echidna: common questions
Does the western long-beaked echidna lay eggs?
Yes, it is a monotreme, one of the few mammals that lay eggs.
What does the western long-beaked echidna eat?
It eats mainly earthworms, which it catches with a long, sticky, spiny tongue.
How does it differ from the short-beaked echidna?
It is larger and has a much longer, downward-curving snout.
Why is the western long-beaked echidna critically endangered?
It is hunted for its meat and has lost forest, and is now rare across its range in the mountains of New Guinea.