July 16 (UPI) — The San Diego Zoo Safari Park announcing the hatching of rare echidna “twins,” a species of egg-laying mammals native to Australia and New Guinea.
The zoo said the baby echidnas — known as puggles — are the first “twins” to hatch from eggs laid by the same mother in the same mating season in an Association of Zoos and Aquariums facility in North America.
Officials said one of the puggles is being raised by mother Kathryn in an underground burrow, while the other is being hand-raised at the Safari Park’s Harter Veterinary Care Center. Veterinarians made the decision to take custody of the baby due to its smaller size making it more vulnerable.
Veterinarians have been taking regular ultrasounds of the smaller echidna’s stomach, allowing them to analyze how quickly it digests formula and develop an optimized feeding schedule.
“This breakthrough will help shape how echidnas are cared for at the Safari Park and across SDZWA’s Australian Forest Conservation Hub,” the zoo said.