Nature's Outdone Herself

The long-beaked echidna is a resident of New Guinea. A nocturnal, burrowing creature of around 20 lbs, the echidna dines on invertebrates and the female lays a single egg in her pouch--kind of like a hedgehog meets a platypus meets a wombat meets an anteater.

These creatures are so spikey, that though they do not have teeth, their very tongues are equipped with rows of spikes. It is also highly intelligent. Nature has outdone herself in the echidna.

Thanks for the photo, Ida.

Photo source: Sharenator