(ORDO NEWS) — For a long time it was thought that echidnas didn’t handle the Australian heat well, but researchers say they have a secret weapon, including “snot bubbles”.
Researchers have found that echidnas rely on snot bubbles and on their bellies to stay cool in the scorching heat.
These animals do not exhibit the usual behavior for beasts to avoid overheating. They don’t have glands to sweat. They also cannot breathe heavily, like, for example, dogs.
It turns out that they blow bubbles from the snot. So they cool the blood at the tip of their elongated beak-nose.
They also slosh their belly on cool surfaces, allowing the heat to escape while their feet also carry the heat away.
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