"Wild Echidnas I Have Seen" Blue Mountains National Park Travelogue by CdnJane

Blue Mountains National Park Travel Guide: 360 reviews and 1,128 photos

First Echidna I had ever seen much less heard of

Echidnas... Hard to Pronounce and Wonderful to See

Echidnas, or spiny anteaters, are not very often seen in the wild. Or so I've been told. Much like a hedgehog, they roll up in a ball to protect themselves, and like a porcupine, they have quills with barbs to further protect themselves from predators.
My friend gave me a silver miniature of an echidna as we were leaving Jenolan Caves. I had a real difficult time pronouncing it, for some reason. John said that it was one of the special Aussie native animals, and he'd only seen 1 in his life.
Much to our amazement, several hours as we driving along on the curves, there were 2 of them crossing the road... John threw me out of the car to capture some pictures of them.

Backsided Echidna

Echidna Backend

I didn't move fast enough to get a good shot of their funny little heads. But it was a charm!

This took place in August, 2000

Why did the Echidna Cross the Road?

Echidna crossing the road

Obviously to get to the other side, but I suspect, also because he/she was interested in meeting this Canadian and her Aussie friend.

2nd Trip to Oz, 2nd experience with an Echidna

Echidna did come a visiting

I returned in January 2001, and we took a road trip from Sydney over the Blue Mountains to Dubbo and then down towards the Snowy Mountains.
As we drove close to the Snowys, John slammed on the brakes and pulled over to the side.
We almost hit an echidna that was just wandering. It crossed the road behind us... and then came walking down towards me. This time I got some better shots.

I think this is his/her better side

Turning sideways for a good shot

Most unconcerned about us being there, Mr/Ms Echidna just came strolling down towards us. I asked him to stop and let me get a sideview, and most obligingly he did!

Obliging little fellow

Felt spongey

Maybe he figured if he couldn't see us, we couldn't see him, or else he just knew that we meant him no harm. In any case, before he ducked down into the drainage ditch he allowed John to touch him. Apparently the back felt spongey. Sensibly John didn't brush back against the quills but the same direction they grew. I was just the photographer!
An Update... one of my coworkers brought into the office her pigmy hedgehog, and I got to feel it, which looked identical to the quills of the echidna... a very odd feeling, but rather exciting to touch.