Free chained animal (7)

I believe the answer is:

echidna

'animal' is the definition.
(echidna is a kind of animal)

'free chained' is the wordplay.
'free' indicates anagramming the letters.
'chained' with letters rearranged gives 'ECHIDNA'.

(Other definitions for echidna that I've seen before include "Spiny Aus. mammal" , "Spiny egg-laying Australian mammal" , "Oz native" , "Insectivorous mammal" , "Australian creature" .)

I've seen this clue in The Daily Express.

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