Sir David's long-beaked echidna (Zaglossus attenboroughi ) is one of the three species from the genus Zaglossus that occurs in New Guinea. It is named in honor of Sir David Attenborough, the eminent naturalist.
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NocturnalNocturnality is an animal behavior characterized by being active during the night and sleeping during the day. The common adjective is "nocturnal",...
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CarnivoreA carnivore meaning 'meat eater' is an organism that derives its energy and nutrient requirements from a diet consisting mainly or exclusively of a...
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InsectivoresAn insectivore is a carnivorous plant or animal that eats insects. An alternative term is entomophage, which also refers to the human practice of e...
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VermivorousVermivore (from Latin vermi, meaning "worm" and vorare, "to devour") is a zoological term for animals that eat worms (including annelids, nematodes...
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MyrmecophagousMyrmecophagy is a feeding behavior defined by the consumption of termites or ants, particularly as pertaining to those animal species whose diets a...
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Island endemicIsland endemic animals are found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island. Animals or organisms that are indigenous to a place ar...
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
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OviparousOviparous animals are female animals that lay their eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother. This is the reproductive...
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BurrowingA burrow is a hole or tunnel excavated into the ground by an animal to create a space suitable for habitation, temporary refuge, or as a byproduct ...
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AltricialAltricial animals are those species whose newly hatched or born young are relatively immobile. They lack hair or down, are not able to obtain food ...
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FossorialA fossorial animal is one adapted to digging which lives primarily but not solely, underground. Some examples are badgers, naked mole-rats, clams, ...
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SolitaryNo
Not a migrantAnimals that do not make seasonal movements and stay in their native home ranges all year round are called not migrants or residents.
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starts withIt is the smallest member of the genus Zaglossus, being closer in size to the short-beaked echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus ). The male is larger than the female and can be differentiated by the spurs on its hind legs.
Sir David's long-beaked echidnas live in forests in the Cyclops Mountains, which are near the cities of Sentani and Jayapura in the Indonesian province of Papua.
These echidnas are not social and come together with their own kind only during the breeding season. They are active at nighttime. When feeling threatened they roll up into a spiny ball, somewhat in the manner of a hedgehog.
Sir David’s long-beaked echidnas have a carnivorous (vermivorous, insectivores, myrmecophagous) diet and feed mainly on earthworms, termites, insect larvae, and ants.
Little information is available about the mating system and reproductive behavior of this species. It is known that mating takes place in July. Females lay the eggs after about 8 days, and the babies stay in the mother's pouch for around 8 weeks or until their spines develop.
Sir David’s long-beaked echidna is threatened by hunting and habitat loss. In fact, it was thought to be extinct until some of its "nose pokes" were found in the mountains of New Guinea. These "nose pokes" are very distinctive and result from the echidna's feeding technique. These animals are so high on the endangered species list that locals are being educated about the species and asked to stop their tradition of hunting and killing them.
The IUCN Red List and other sources don’t provide the number of Sir David’s long-beaked echidna total population size. Currently, this species is classified as Critically Endangered (CR) on the IUCN Red List and its numbers today are decreasing.