Story: Echidna Friendly Gardens
Episode: 17
Presenter: Trevor Cochrane
Air Date: 11 December 2021

Have you had any echidnas wander in your garden? Trevor visits Caversham Wildlife Park to learn how to make our gardens more echidna friendly.

• The spines you see on an echidna are actually long, tough, hollow hair follicles.
• These spines are an echidna’s main line of defence when predators strike. When under threat, they will roll up into a ball of radiating spines to protect themselves or dig themselves to safety.
• Along with the platypus, the echidna is the only other living egg-laying mammal species.
• Echidnas are relatively unafraid of people and can pop up in the most unexpected places.
• Their biggest enemies are dogs and cats, so these should always be locked up or kept well away until the echidna has moved on.
• If you do come across an echidna in a strange place, don’t assume it is lost. Unless it is injured or in danger, don’t be tempted to move it to another location.
• The echidnas' preferred diet is termites, but they will also eat ants, beetles, worms, and other invertebrates. They love foraging through the leaf litter.

For more information, head to:
https://www.cavershamwildlife.com.au