The diet of these animals is very similar to the diet of shrews and hedgehogs. Their favorite food is ants and termites, which echidna lick with a sticky tongue. A long tongue is thrown out of the mouth at a frequency of 100 times per minute and is able to penetrate the narrowest slits.
In addition, echidna eat earthworms, slugs, snails. Shells of mollusks and chitinous covers of insects, are ground against the horn denticles, with which the inner surface of the “beak” is covered. It is interesting that in the stomach there is practically no acid, like the rest of mammals, and the reaction of gastric juice is close to neutral. The extraordinary sensitivity of the “nosoclum” helps them to obtain food.
In addition to the olfactory receptors, it has unique sensory organs, which, in addition to echidnas, are found only in the platypus. With their help echidna catch electromagnetic waves, published by prey. In addition to all these animals are able to hear the infrasounds generated by the burrowing activity of insects.
