For the first time, a baby short-beaked echidna, also known as a puggle, has hatched at the Brookfield Zoo.
According to the zoo, the nameless and unsexed puggle hatched between March 2 and 5 and is the first in the zoo's history.
The puggle will remain in a nestbox for a few more months, taking sustenance from Waddles, its 47-year-old mother. However, the animal care staff has been closely watching the puggle since its hatching to ensure it is developing properly.
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The puggle is expected to venture from the nestbox sometime in August. Visitors will be able to see the baby in the zoo's Australia House.
Other echidnas can currently be seen in their habitats, including Waddles, Pokey, Kapi, Rex and Adelaide - the oldest animal at Brookfield Zoo at 53 years old.
Echidnas are one of only two mammal species that lay eggs. Only 29 short-beaked echidnas can be found in 10 North American zoos, including Brookfield Zoo. They are native to Australia, as well as central and southern New Guinea.
