Rare Echidna Species Spotted for First Time in Over 60 Years

The namesake of beloved naturalist Sir David Attenborough, Attenborough’s long-beaked echidna had eluded human sight for over 60 years. Echidnas are one of two species of egg-laying mammals. There are four species of echidna. Of the four, two are listed as critically endangered. This includes Attenborough’s long-beaked echidna. These unusual creatures are typically solitary, living alone in underground burrows. They are thought to meet with other members of their species only once a year when they mate. This is one of the reasons that the species has not been captured on camera since its discovery in 1961.

To rediscover Attenborough’s long-beaked echidna, a team of researchers from the University of Oxford made the difficult journey to the creatures’ habitat in Indonesia. They set up camp in the Cyclops Mountains tropical forests. Then, they set up their cameras and waited. 

Eventually, the team’s perseverance was rewarded. They captured a series of images of the creatures. Their findings are the first evidence of the existence of Attenborough’s long-beaked echidnas since 2007. The echidnas were not spotted at that point, however, their burrows and evidence of the echidnas’ digging were found. 

In total, capturing an image of Attenborough’s long-beaked echidna took the team more than three and a half years of planning and dedication. The team was overjoyed to be able to complete their objective. Sir David Attenborough, who the echidna was named after, was also delighted by the expedition’s results. 

Although this is an exciting find, it is still estimated that Attenborough’s long-beaked echidna populations are decreasing rapidly. They face habitat loss and other significant threats. Ultimately, efforts must be made to preserve these echidnas and other species. Soon they may disappear, never to be found again. 

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