A.B.C. Maps Product Profile

ECHIDNA - Extraordinary egg-laying mammal

By Michael Augee, Brett Gooden and Anne Musser (CSIRO)

Australian Natural History Series

The echidna is one of the world's most extraordinary creatures. It is a living fossil whose relatives were walking the earth over 100 million years ago. Like the platypus, it is a mammal that lays eggs, and like all mammals, it has fur and produces milk.

This book describes the echidna's lifestyle and the adaptations that have made it so successful. It draws on the latest research into these strange creatures, covering their evolution, anatomy, senses, reproduction, behaviour, feeding habits and metabolism. The authors reveal some fascinating new findings, showing how echidnas are masters of their environment, and not simply some sort of mammal 'test model' that went wrong. A final chapter on conservation includes information on captive diet and management.

136 pages. Laminated soft cover. First Edition (2006). 240mm X 170mm. APN 9780643092044. RRP $39.95