Gembrook Echidna

When Peter was up at Gembrook Retreat last week the neighbourhood echidna paid a visit. This was special because it only passed through about once a month. It does not run away when seen but will become a ball of spines if we came too close to it. It also preferred to poke its snout into the base of a tree for extra protection, so as we came closer it made a line for the nearest tree to do just that.

The echidna (spiny ant-eater) is a unique native Australian mammal that lays eggs to give birth to its offspring. Its spines are particularly sharp and once it has braced itself into a ball of spines no aggressive animal has a chance to get to it. It is even hard to roll it over because it has taken a vice-like grip of the ground with its clawers.