How do echidnas feed their young?

Echidnas don't have nipples like mammals. Instead, they feed their young with milk secreted from a patch of specialized skin on their belly called a mammary patch.

Here's how it works:

* Milk production: The mammary patch produces milk, which is then licked up by the young echidna, called a puggle.

* Puggle development: Puggle are born very small and underdeveloped. They stay in a burrow for several months, feeding solely on milk from the mammary patch.

* Growth and independence: As the puggles grow, they gradually start eating solid food in addition to milk. They eventually become independent and leave the burrow around six months of age.

The process of feeding with a mammary patch is unique to monotremes, which are egg-laying mammals like echidnas and platypuses. It's a fascinating example of how nature finds creative solutions for raising young!