How do Echidnas protect themselves?

Like a hedgehog an Echidna can curl up into a tight spiky ball. Due to the presence of their spines, echidnas simply do not have many predators. Even young echidnas develop spines by the time they are about 3 months old. Echidnas have strong front legs and sharp claws that enable them to dig quickly into the ground to avoid danger. They "flatten out" as they dig, appearing to sink horizontally into the ground, thus ensuring their sharp spines are exposed through the process.