Here’s one from my Australia trip back in 2006 that has been in my Australia gallery but was never posted to the blog. This personable little creature is called a short-beaked echidna (and is also known as a spiny anteater). They are mammals of the order monotreme. Monotremes are the only mammals that lay eggs. Only five are known to exist — all in Australia and New Guinea — including the platypus and four different species of echidna. The short-beaked echidna lacks the ability to sweat and therefore tends to avoid moving around much during the day. I spotted this guy late one afternoon about an hour after the sun had set on Kangaroo Island in South Australia. Nikon D200 with Nikkor 17-35mm f/2.8 lens (at 17mm), ISO 400, f/8 at 1/60th of a second (-0.33 ev), Nikon SB-800 flash
Are those things like porcupine quills? do they shoot them at predators? or are they soft like the petals on a flower, e.g., chrysanthemum? Very interesting little creature.
Hey Mom, no they don’t shoot their spines, but they are sharp and they are used for protection. When threatened, an echidna will roll up into a spiny ball to ward off danger.
We use cookies to enhance your experience while using our website. If you are using our Services via a browser you can restrict, block or remove cookies through your web browser settings. We also use content and scripts from third parties that may use tracking technologies. You can selectively provide your consent below to allow such third party embeds. For complete information about the cookies we use, data we collect and how we process them, please check our Privacy Policy
Looks like a cross between a porcupine and a hedgehog! What a cutie! How small is small, inch wise?
Hi Rachel, they can grow up to 18 inches in length and weight up to 11 pounds. This guy seemed a bit smaller than that.
Are those things like porcupine quills? do they shoot them at predators? or are they soft like the petals on a flower, e.g., chrysanthemum? Very interesting little creature.
Hey Mom, no they don’t shoot their spines, but they are sharp and they are used for protection. When threatened, an echidna will roll up into a spiny ball to ward off danger.
Fascinating! this looks 3D!
Oh my gosh, he’s precious! The image color warmth is wonderful…you really got it right.