When the first platypus skin was sent to the British Museum in 1798, scientists thought it was a fake. A short-beaked echidna lived for 50 years in captivity.
Echidnas are extremely strong.
Captive animals have wreaked havoc overturning furniture during efforts to escape. Although Echidnas are a protected species they are an aborginal delicacy, baked in clay. In the past zoos have been places where animals are locked in small cages. Now many zoos are trying to put there animals first by making there surroundings in the zoo as close as possible as the ones in there natural environment. 3000 years ago the chinese were keeping zoos.