Prickly Love: Echidnas Caught Mating | National Geographic

this is a female echidna and the echidna

this is a female echidna and the echidna and the platypus stand apart as being

and the platypus stand apart as being

and the platypus stand apart as being the only two living egg-laying mammals

well the echidna has spines and if you

well the echidna has spines and if you look carefully you can see spines are

look carefully you can see spines are

look carefully you can see spines are mainly on the back and they’ve got a

mainly on the back and they’ve got a

mainly on the back and they’ve got a very spiny tail she’s attracted the

very spiny tail she’s attracted the

very spiny tail she’s attracted the attention of one male kidding isn’t

attention of one male kidding isn’t

attention of one male kidding isn’t normally solitary except during the

normally solitary except during the

normally solitary except during the mating season but because of the strong

mating season but because of the strong

mating season but because of the strong sense of smell

sense of smell

sense of smell males are attracted to the females

during the mating season both the males

during the mating season both the males and the females tend to lose weight

and the females tend to lose weight

and the females tend to lose weight because the females are constantly being

because the females are constantly being

because the females are constantly being harassed by the males and the males are

harassed by the males and the males are

harassed by the males and the males are too busy to eat and as she comes out

too busy to eat and as she comes out

too busy to eat and as she comes out there we can see one then two males that

there we can see one then two males that

there we can see one then two males that have been attracted and here’s a third

have been attracted and here’s a third

have been attracted and here’s a third and you can see the male using his beak

and you can see the male using his beak

and you can see the male using his beak waving it round putting it putting it

waving it round putting it putting it

waving it round putting it putting it close to the female now there’s probably

close to the female now there’s probably

close to the female now there’s probably smelling inspecting and checking but I

smelling inspecting and checking but I

smelling inspecting and checking but I think also there’s so sort of tactile

think also there’s so sort of tactile

think also there’s so sort of tactile stimulation that he hopes to get the

stimulation that he hopes to get the

stimulation that he hopes to get the female ready to mate they’re promiscuous

female ready to mate they’re promiscuous

female ready to mate they’re promiscuous because the females are certainly mating

because the females are certainly mating

because the females are certainly mating with a large number of different males

with a large number of different males

with a large number of different males and the males are mating with as many

and the males are mating with as many

and the males are mating with as many females as they possibly can this all

females as they possibly can this all

females as they possibly can this all looks like cute cuddly fun but it’s

looks like cute cuddly fun but it’s

looks like cute cuddly fun but it’s pretty deadly important for the echidnas

pretty deadly important for the echidnas

pretty deadly important for the echidnas because if they don’t get the mating

because if they don’t get the mating

because if they don’t get the mating then they’re not passing on their genes

then they’re not passing on their genes

then they’re not passing on their genes as soon as she stops the males try to

as soon as she stops the males try to

as soon as she stops the males try to lift up her rear end and within weeks

lift up her rear end and within weeks

lift up her rear end and within weeks and mate with it okay the three males

and mate with it okay the three males

and mate with it okay the three males have walked on but now one of them

have walked on but now one of them

have walked on but now one of them realizes what’s happened – is back he’s

realizes what’s happened – is back he’s

realizes what’s happened – is back he’s on the line she’s she’s not being

on the line she’s she’s not being

on the line she’s she’s not being chaperoned

chaperoned

chaperoned and he’s actually starts to mate he’s

and he’s actually starts to mate he’s

and he’s actually starts to mate he’s got his tail killed underneath that

and the Second Mile realizes what’s

and the Second Mile realizes what’s going on and he desperately tries to

going on and he desperately tries to

going on and he desperately tries to break it up by pushing the pushing that

break it up by pushing the pushing that

break it up by pushing the pushing that mail away in Tasmania what’s happening

mail away in Tasmania what’s happening

mail away in Tasmania what’s happening is that they’ll mate and then go back

is that they’ll mate and then go back

is that they’ll mate and then go back into hibernation see okay that’s over

into hibernation see okay that’s over

into hibernation see okay that’s over with let’s get back to what I wanted to

with let’s get back to what I wanted to

with let’s get back to what I wanted to do