After a catastrophic blaze in eastern Australia a decade ago, it was noticed that the population of echidnas was unchanged from the numbers before the fire. Echidnas are spiky and slow-moving mammals that have long or short beaks. They lack teeth and rely on their long, sticky tongues to catch invertebrates. The trick they employ to stay alive in the midst of fire is to find a safe haven — a hollow tree stump or an underground burrow — and go to sleep. Their body temperature drops and they enter a state of hibernation called torpor. Their low temperature makes them slightly fire-retardant and the shelter keeps them safe until the fire passes over. Rather than risk starvation, the clever echidnas stay in their "Sleeping Beauty" state until the burnt vegetation regenerates and provides food again.
