An egg-laying mammal?!
The fact that the Long-beaked Echidna lays eggs makes it a rare type of mammal. Their unusual appearance features a long narrow beak that is well-suited for eating worms. Another interesting feature is its hind legs. The toes point outwards so if you look only at their feet, it's hard to tell which way the animal is supposed to move. The Long-beaked Echidna lives on the island of New Guinea, located north of the Australian continent. On this island, dogs were used to hunt the Long-beaked Echidna. Consequently, they are becoming very difficult to find.

Disappearing worms may make the Long-beaked Echidna an imaginary rare animal
Although their hunting has been banned, the Long-beaked Echidna now faces another problem: deforestation. Deforestation makes the ground dry out easily, which is causing the worms, the Long-beaked Echidna's favorite food, to disappear. Even if new trees are planted after the old ones are cut down, it will take many years before the trees grow into a forest again. Unless something is done, the Long-beaked Echidna may become an imaginary rare animal.