Echidna's Mating Season

[Overlandman]

From todays Examiner,

http://www.examiner.com.au/news/local/n ... 08563.aspx

What a great animal, It is very rare to see a baby echidna, as I see adults on my walks, where are the young ones?
Regards Overlandman

[Graham51]

There is a similar article in today's Mercury.

http://www.themercury.com.au/article/20 ... -news.html

I have seen some smallish echidnas but certainly not babies. Don't they get hidden away till they're big enough to look after themselves?

[Overlandman]

From the ABC

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-03-17/f ... am/7253492

[MickyB]

It is very rare to see a baby echidna, as I see adults on my walks, where are the young ones?

The baby lives in it's mothers pouch until it starts to grow spines. The mother then leaves the puggle in a burrow and then returns to feed it every couple of days. The baby leaves the burrow after about 6 months.

[walkerchris77]

Ouch!

[Overlandman]

Another interesting story from ABC, from Queensland

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-08-05/e ... up/7692156

A rare echidna breeding behaviour not usually seen in Queensland is causing a stir throughout the state

[Paul]

I have been lucky enough to witness the "mating procession" - the female meandering through the bush, followed closely in line by 6 eager males. When she stopped to feed, all 7 rummaged around in the bush, when she continued on her way the 6 males took up thier alloted position in the line again - i.e. no male tried to gain a more forward position in the line !

It was amazing to watch, I feel so priveliged to have witnesses it.

Paul

[Overlandman]

Interesting Story from ABC

Regards OLM

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-09-06/t ... rt/7816848

[Franco]

Well I have an echidna or two at my place but all I see is their diggings.
Where I looked thinking "why did it dig there?" I see now ants coming out from.
Clever sods.

[Overlandman]

From the Mercury

http://www.themercury.com.au/news/tasma ... ec6130d64e

A RARE albino echidna has been found in the wild at Coles Bay on the East Coast.

The Freycinet National Park offers visitors a range of wonderful opportunities to enjoy spectacular scenery and now the possibility of sighting the albino echidna.

[north-north-west]

Well I have an echidna or two at my place but all I see is their diggings.
Where I looked thinking "why did it dig there?" I see now ants coming out from.
Clever sods.

I need to harness their digging power to turn over those bits of ground that need it, rather than making a mess of my garden. Just wish they'd go after the big black and orange ants as well as the tiny black ones. Or get the buggers who keep trying to set up colonies in the house . . .

[Franco]

This is my echidna.
Called Edna but I think it's a male

[north-north-west]

How do you tell?

I have developed an even greater respect for magpies. When Fluffy goes a-wandering around the yard they all - even the youngest - give him/her a very wide berth. They'll argue with any other creature that moves out there (except me) but the echidna has an absolute right of way.

[taswegian]

Echidnas fascinate me.
Always wanted to see them and a Blue-tongue or 2 in my garden.
Closest I got was once we found an Echidna rammed into the door jam at the back door.
Looked odd. Left it to its own devices and when looked later it was gone. Never seen since.

I imagine they'd be like our bandicoots that invade the lawn with regards to the mess they make.

I always thought they'd be pretty invincible until a couple of years ago I came across an obviously not so invincible one spread out across a log like a napkin, spikes down. Poor thing.

[Franco]

How do I tell ?
A guess based on the size.
This one is about 33cm wide (and longer than that) so probably too big to be a female.
They have a rather long oddly shaped penis but I haven't had a look.

[Echidna not]

Was lucky enough to see two of these amazing little creatures within 20meters of each other , I managed to get some decent video footage of this guy or girl .

[Franco]

Edna's size.
My hand is resting on top of the quills :

[CasualNerd]

I found a 4 Echidna train a month ago

https://www.instagram.com/p/BXzNP13Bd_x/

They followed each other in circles through the undergrowth, always staying in line, doing loops until they realised I was there.

[Franco]

From what I read the males follow the female in a particular order. When the female stops to eat, so do the males and then resume their spot in the queue when the female starts walking again.

[Mark F]

Franco - if Edna turns out to be male you could always rename her/him Aden or Dean.

[Overlandman]

Story from ABC NT

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-11-07/s ... na/9080994

[Overlandman]

From ABC

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-05-31/e ... ge/9821212

Forget snapper and flathead — an echidna has claimed the title of catch of the day after it was plucked from the waters halfway between mainland Queensland and Bribie Island.

[Overlandman]

From the Advocate

https://www.theadvocate.com.au/story/54 ... =7#slide=5

How echidnas are dealing with the drought in NSW

Regards OLM

[Franco]

Franco - if Edna turns out to be male you could always rename her/him Aden or Dean.

Sorry I missed that one. I used to do anagrams in Italian but not so much in English.
Thanks for the tip...

Do you guys see echidnas in winter ?
I think mine has been active in the last week but can never see it.

[north-north-west]

Do you guys see echidnas in winter ?
I think mine has been active in the last week but can never see it.

Just saw Fluffy while hanging out the tent to dry. Seems a bit more sluggish than usual. Or maybe she hasn't had her morning coffee yet . . .

[Franco]

taking a clue from Fluffy, my wife suggested we re-name ours Cuddles.

[north-north-west]

I approve.
Although there is biological justification for 'Fluffy', as Tasmanian echidnas - like many other local representatives of nationwide species - have a much thicker coat than mainlanders.

[Neo]

I read the title as Edna's mating season and thought it was one of Franco's pet names for wildlife!
Must be bedtime for me

[Franco]

The neighbour's dog was sniffing around one of my wood piles yesterday. We went to cut a few trees and tydy one area up a bit and then on the way back the dog went back to the same wood pile. so I went to have a look and found 4 echidnas resting.
This morning they were gone.
My trail camera failed to capture their departure.

[Franco]

The day after one came inside the workshop so i had to put it out because it was trying to hide inside there.
possibly the same one that was moving around under that building the night before because once I put it down it did go straight under there again.

WARNING !!!
Please keep in mind that they are heavier than they look and do wiggle about and because of that they can be easily dropped.
If you drop one most likely it will die from a broken snout.