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 🧡
ReplyDeleteThe Echidna is very cute. I have never seen photos of it before. Thank you for sharing, Margaret.
ReplyDeleteHello 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
Such a marvelous creature.
ReplyDeleteVery nice capture of this beautifl creature, thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great find!
ReplyDeleteUy que lindo. Te mando un beso
ReplyDeleteA surprise find, alright!
ReplyDeleteMargaret, 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.
ReplyDeleteInteresting 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
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.
ReplyDelete