On our way to look for wattle in bloom the other day we saw this Echidna walking across the road, so we stopped and waited for the other cars to pass then walked across the road to find the echidna safe, so hence the photos.
The Tasmanian short-beaked echidna is a subspecies of short-beaked echidna endemic to Tasmania. It was first described by Etienne Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire in 1803 as Echidna setosa.
The spines on a Tasmanian Echidna are not poisonous: they are modified hairs made of keratin that serve as a dense mechanism, and the male echidna has a non-venomous spur on its hind leg that produces a waxy secretion for communication.
The photos should have been clearer, the Echidna kept moving and I didn't have time to fix the camera as I thought it would, (the echidna) would disappear.
How wonderful!!! Thank you so much for sharing these photos of the echidna, Margaret. I also like the Aesop quote, dear friend 🧡
ReplyDeleteThank you Linda, and it's a good quote.
DeleteThe Echidna is very cute. I have never seen photos of it before. Thank you for sharing, Margaret.
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome Marit, when we live on the opposite side of this world and you far north and me far south we do have different animals.
DeleteHello Margaret,
ReplyDeleteThat's a very special animal. I have never seen before. At first he looks like a kiwi bird, but he is not.
That must be very special to see him in real. Good shot Margaret. Very nice!!
Many greetings,
Marco
Thank you, Marco, I would have liked to have a clearer/sharper shot of the echidna but that didn't happen. We see them often by the side of the road or crossing it in the country with plenty of bush around.
DeleteSuch a marvelous creature.
ReplyDeleteIndeed, and fascinating also.
DeleteVery nice capture of this beautifl creature, thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome Bill.
DeleteWhat a great find!
ReplyDeleteIndeed it was a good find, we often see them in the country areas that have plenty of native bush.
DeleteUy que lindo. Te mando un beso
ReplyDeleteThanks.
DeleteA surprise find, alright!
ReplyDeleteIt was a good find, and I was quick enough to get across the road to take photos of it, even with the cars passing by.
DeleteMargaret, I learned that it is an oviparous mammal and that it feeds its young with its mother's milk through pores and not through nipples, because the female Echidna does not have them.
ReplyDeleteYes Norma, patches in her pouch.
DeleteInteresting but no pats from me.
ReplyDeleteI actually have never seen one in the wild so you are lucky.
Wild storms here at Terrigal for the last couple of days - thankfully today is fine
and sunny. Now for the bloody snakes to appear - mating season. I look out onto the porch before I venture out - I don't want that deadly Eastern Brown to be waiting for me.
Cheers
Colin
You be careful of those snakes, I remember you had problems last year.
DeleteWeather is a bit rough here also but days are warmer, the wind keeps it cool.
It's always interesting to come across an echidna. I was fascinated to see them wandering around at will on Raymond Island last year. They have no fear of humans or other possible predators. The ones I remember seeing in the bush when I was young, would straight away begin to bury themselves.
ReplyDeleteThat was good to see them on Raymond Island. Usually the ones we come across bury themselves quickly as you say, this one didn't.
DeleteIf the spines on the echidna are not poisonous, are they used for some sort of other defensive purpose? How do the male and female mate safely?
ReplyDeleteThis is how they mate, Hels : Echidnas mate after a "love train" where multiple males follow a female, competing for her attention. The female eventually chooses a mate, and they lie on their sides to interlock their tails and use their cloacas for mating.
DeleteTheir spines: Echidna spines are used for defense, acting as a protective armour that deters predators when the echidna curls into a spiny ball. These spines, made of keratin (the same substance as hair and fingernails), help protect the animal's body, especially when they burrow into soft soil to escape threats like foxes, goannas, and dogs. (Note we don't have foxes here in Tasmania)
I'm glad you stopped for photos, I've never seen one outside a zoo.
ReplyDeleteI'm pleased we did stop as we often see one when driving in the country where there is bush.
DeleteThe echidna is fascinating. Thanks for sharing your super photos and all the info Margaret. I enjoyed learning about this delightful animal.
ReplyDeleteThanks Denise.
DeleteA beautiful shot of this echidna Margaret.
ReplyDeleteI think it's a special animal.
I wish you a wonderful Thursday.
Greetings Irma
Thank you Irma. Have a good weekend.
DeleteA wonderful animal to see. We saw it in both NSW and Victoria but not in Tasmania, unfortunately. I also saw it in a Canberra park on an earlier visit to Australia.
ReplyDeleteYou know what they look like in reality then.
DeleteNo way. That's so cool that you guys saw that. Remember when I saw a huge lizard at the park and thought it was an alligator? This is way better, though. Happy Friday.
ReplyDeleteYes I remember that, sometimes the lizard are rather big.
DeleteAwesome!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Anne.
DeleteI've never seen one in person so this is so cool. What a cute little creature.
ReplyDeleteThey are cute in away, they don't harm us.
DeleteA species unknown around here, at least to me, but curious and rare.
ReplyDeleteGreetings.
They are lovely and do no harm.
DeleteRemarkable! I join the others in being glad you stopped!
ReplyDeleteThank you. I'm glad we stopped too.
DeleteI'd not heard of this animal so many thanks for the photographs and information.
ReplyDeleteAll the best Jan
You are welcome, Jan.
DeleteNice photos
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jo-Anne.
DeleteHicisteis bien en bajar del coche y comprobar que estaba bien. Genial!
ReplyDeleteUn abrazo, Margaret.
Thanks Jordi.
DeleteMuy bien captado, amiga.
ReplyDeleteUn saludo.
Thank you.
DeleteBeautiful captures đź‘Ź
ReplyDeleteI didn't know this animal and was just looking at them online, they're so cute ❤️
Thanks for sharing.
Yes, they are cute, and do a great job with what they do, Maria.
DeleteOh wow.
ReplyDelete:) They can be if you have never seen them before.
DeleteQue animal tĂŁo fofinho!
ReplyDeleteObrigada pelo seu olhar! Fotos lindas!
Beijinhos no seu coração, Margaret!
đź’ťđź’ťđź’ťMegy Maia
Thank you Megy.
DeleteWhat an excellent surprise! Thanks for sharing the info about them as I knew nothing about them before seeing your post. They sound like fascinating and beautiful creatures.
ReplyDeleteBien por ti Margaret, me alegro verlo, no lo habĂa visto nunca. Besos.
ReplyDelete