Hedgehogs, Porcupines and Echidnas on postcards
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Another photo I took last year just before I changed cameras. I don't have any photo of an echidna on my photostream and this is the best one I have so far. The echidna is a monotreme it and the platypus are the only egg laying mammals in the world.
The short-beaked echidna is the smaller of the species, and individuals vary in colour depending on their location. In the northern, hotter regions, echidnas are light brown, but they become darker with thicker hair further south. In Tasmania, they are black. All echidnas have sharp spines covering the back of their short, stocky bodies.
The short-beaked echidna's snout is between 7 and 8cm long, and is stiffened to enable the animal to break up logs and termite mounds when searching for food. An echidna's mouth is on the underside of its snout, at the end. This allows the animal to feed easily - especially when suckling.
The short, stout limbs of an echidna are well-suited for scratching and digging in the soil. The front feet have five flattened claws which are used to dig forest litter, burrow, and tear open logs and termite mounds. The hind feet point backwards, and help to push soil away when the animal is burrowing. Two of the claws on each back foot are used for grooming. An echidna's tail is short, stubby and hairless underneath.
We came across this little echidna today at our favourite park. Ironically we had taken our macro lenses today and had left our big zooms at home but luckily he allowed us to get close enough for me to get some photos and my husband some video.
Fun facts: echidnas lay a soft egg which they put into a fold on its abdomen (a pouch). When it hatches a baby echidna is called a puggle and is carried in the mother's pouch about 45 days.
My grandson spied this Echnida as we walked up Hanging Rock in the Macedon Ranges.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanging_Rock,_Victoria
Many thanks for your visits, kind comments and faves, very much appreciated.
Echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus)
This is a very, very rare Albino Echidna.
Echidnas are one of only two monotremes, mammals that lay eggs and suckle their young with milk. The other being the Platypus.
Warning : ALL RIGHTS RESERVED : do not use my images without my EXPLICIT permission
A close encounter of the spiky kind.........
I was fortunate to have a close encounter with an Echidna during my visit to Orange, NSW.
A bonus when it turned around to face me - hope you like it!
Thanks again for any comment, views or favorites - most appreciated!!
Have a terrific day and week!!
Petals of a tiny Native Geranium on Aussie 5c coin. (our smallest coin -2cm)
Macro Mondays: On a coin
Created for TMI's June challenge "Prickly Pics".
Echidna image by Enguerrand Blanchy on Unsplash.
View the challenge HERE
Thanks for all the faves and kind comments!
Dad! look at that funny bowling ball!
I don't think it's a...
Arrrg!!
It poked me!
I'm gonna Die!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
don't be stupid your not gonna die!
Your gonna die in a very crewel and harsh way! mwa ha ha ha! I'm not your dad I'm superman!
Ok?
We were in The Little Desert National Park, but who would walk across in front of us, the water was more important than the fear of our presence!
Standing like a sentinel pointing to the end of the Lake. "Lysterfield Park is located approximately 35 kilometres south-east of Melbourne, and has a unique history. Originally a water storage supply, the park was opened to the public in 1986 to cater for a wide range of recreational activities.
This hidden treasure of native bushland and wetland is home to kangaroos, echidnas, egrets, herons and swans, to name a few species and provides an insight into what Melbourne looked like less than 150 years ago when it was covered in bushland. Lysterfield Lake is very popular for canoeing, sailing, paddle boating and surf skiing. There are also numerous walking tracks " plus en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lysterfield_Park
Many thanks for your visits, faves and comments. Cheers.
Short-beaked Echidna
Scientific Name: Tachyglossus aculeatus
The Short-beaked Echidna is the only species of echidna in Australia.
Identification: The Short-beaked Echidna is easily recognised by its sharp spines, short legs and long snout.
Size range: 40-55 cm
Similar Species: Long-beaked Echidna (Zaglossus bruijni), is from New Guinea
Distribution: The Short-beaked Echidna is found throughout Australia, including Tasmania. Although it is found all over Australia, it is not as common in Sydney as it once was.
Habitat: The Short-beaked Echidna lives in forests and woodlands, heath, grasslands and arid environments.
Seasonality: Winter isn't a good time to see an echidna as many enter torpor during the colder months. Dropping their body temperatures below 10 degrees celsius and breathing just once every three minutes, they greatly reduce their metabolic rate. Every few weeks their temperature slowly rises to normal as they stir to eliminate waste, and perhaps have a drink, before returning to torpor. As the warmer weather returns, so does the echidna's food supply and the sleepy monotremes fully awaken to set about replenishing their fat stores.
Feeding and Diet: Using its pointed snout and sharp claws, the Short-beaked Echidna breaks into ant and termite nests and catches its prey by flicking its long sticky tongue in and out. It also catches a lot of dirt in the process and this is expelled in the droppings.
Life cycle: Like the Platypus, the Short-beaked Echidna is an egg-laying mammal or monotreme and lays one egg at a time. The eggs hatch after about 10 days and the young, emerge blind and hairless. Clinging to hairs inside the mother's pouch, the young echidna suckles for two or three months. Once it develops spines and becomes too prickly, the mother removes it from her pouch and builds a burrow for it. It continues to suckle for the next six months.
Predators, Parasites and Diseases: The Short-beaked Echidna has few natural enemies, but it may be killed by cars, dogs, foxes and occasionally goannas, and cats may take the young.
(Source: australianmuseum.net.au/short-beaked-echidna)
© Chris Burns 2019
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This image may not be copied, reproduced, distributed, republished, downloaded, displayed, posted or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic, mechanical, photocopying and recording without my written consent.
Capertree, New South Wales, Australia
DID YOU KNOW: Like the Platypus, the Short-beaked Echidna is an egg-laying mammal or monotreme and lays one egg at a time. The eggs hatch after about 10 days and the young, emerge blind and hairless. Clinging to hairs inside the mother's pouch, the young echidna suckles for two or three months. Once it develops spines and becomes too prickly, the mother removes it from her pouch and builds a burrow for it. It continues to suckle for the next six months. (australian.museum/learn/animals/mammals/short-beaked-echi...)
As I continued my walk, a non-avian creature approached me, intently searching the ground: short-beaked echidna.
(Tachyglossus aculeatus)
Another self-indulgent record shot. I have often seen giant morays but rarely see any of their more interestingly marked cousins so was excited to see this. I hope the ID is correct.
Kandolhudhoo, Maldives
From the archives.
This is a Tasmanian echidna, which has a thicker layer of fur partially covering its spines, than the mainland variety.
Today's theme is animals in the wild. Echidnas are monotremes (egg laying mammals), they are endemic to Australia and Paupa New Guinea, they live in a diet of ants and termines although they have been known to eat other invertebrates as well.
They have an acute sense of smell which they rely on
to detect food. Once the food is located they use their
long sticky tongue to catch their prey. Echidnas have no
teeth, so instead grind their food between the tongue
and roof of their mouth.
I encountered this Echidna in Sturt National Park. it ignored me while I took photos from every angle. This is a blend of two shots from that meeting.
Images of Australia: 5/100
One of Australia's unique wildlife, the echidna is a monotreme, a mammal that lays eggs. Females usually lay a single egg which the mother transfers to pouch on her stomach surface. She incubates the egg for 10 to 11 days until it hatches. After hatching, the young echidna suckles from milk patches on her skin. Until old enough to be independent, they either travel in her pouch or remain protected in burrows underground.
The short, sharp quills provide protection from harsh conditions and predators.
Termites, ants, and other insects make up the bulk of their diet. Echidnas have no teeth and grind their food between their tongue and the bottom of their mouth.
A photographer needs a lot of patience, for they are very shy: when sensing danger they curl up and stay very still.