This little echidna

This little echidna thought she was hiding. She has her eyes closed and was resting in a ditch. Quite nice for a photo as they usually dig into the ground and are hard to photograph.

They are less well known than the platypus but these are the other egg laying mammal found in Australia (there are New Guinea ones too). Their babies are so cute (called puggles) and they don't get prickles until they leave mums 'pouch' for obvious reasons. Her face is dirty because she has been snuffling into the earth and forest floor litter looking for termites and other yummy treats.

Nice to look at, not much fun to touch.