Short Nosed Echidna

Maximum longevity: 49.5 years (captivity) Observations: These are relatively long-lived animals. There are anecdotal reports of one animal living over 50 years in captivity (Ronald Nowak 1999). The record longevity, however, belongs to a 49.5 year-old female kept at Philadelphia Zoo (Richard Weigl 2005). These animals have also been reported to live up to 48 years in the wild (Michael Augee et al. 2006).