One of the 3 long-beaked echidnas on WAnimals
Mammals · Monotremata · Tachyglossidae
Zaglossus bruijnii
At extremely high risk of imminent extinction in the wild.
The western long-beaked echidna is a monotreme, one of only five living mammals that lay eggs. It inhabits the mountains of West Papua, in Indonesia, and feeds almost exclusively on earthworms, which it hooks with the barbs on its tongue. Its body is covered in spines mixed with dense fur, and it has a long snout curving downwards. It is critically endangered through hunting and forest loss, and for decades there was no confirmed record of the species.
Weight
5 kg – 10 kg
Size
45 cm – 77 cm
Diet
Carnivore
Feeds mainly on other animals.
Activity
Nocturnal
Active mainly at night.
Social structure
Solitary
Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.
Sources consulted: IUCN Red List · Animal Diversity Web · Wikipedia (es)
Best time: All year in the montane forests of the Doberai Peninsula, in western New Guinea, at night; it is extremely hard to observe.
The pins mark the parks where its presence is documented.
Parks and dive sites where this species has been documented.
Other species in the catalogue with the most in common with Western Long-beaked Echidna — same habitat, park, country, tags or family.
The western long-beaked echidna is classified as critically endangered. Organisations such as the IUCN, WWF and the Wildlife Conservation Society work specifically on its conservation and that of its habitat; looking into their programmes is a good starting point if you want to get involved.
It's documented in 1 protected area — one reason why protecting these places matters for its conservation.
Based on what we already know about western long-beaked echidna.
