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Echidnas are mating, and scientists want you to keep an eye out for the elusive animals and their glittery poo (www.abc.net.au)

submitted 2 years ago by Treevan@aussie.zone to c/environment@aussie.zone

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They're small, spiky and spread across the country — echidnas are one of Australia's most iconic animals yet surprisingly little is known about this elusive species.

"These are often in areas where official sightings haven't been recorded," Professor Grutzner said.

As well as recording echidna sightings, the project has asked participants to collect echidna scat and send it to researchers in the post.

"Trying to devise a mechanism to actually work out how many there are is surprisingly difficult, so nobody really knows how many there are. Professor McCallum said such a fascinating animal, one that in evolutionary biology terms seemed to have been caught between being a reptile and a true mammal, deserved more research and more care from humans, especially around breeding season.

"When they're in the pouch they're literally going to be like a little pink blob and the pouch, when relaxed, opens right up so it will be very obvious."

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[–] ratboy@hexbear.net 4 points 2 years ago

They are so cute I can't stand it! Love this video of them walking around

[–] autotldr@lemmings.world 1 points 2 years ago

This is the best summary I could come up with:

The Currumbin Wildlife Hospital on the Gold Coast said about 30 echidnas were admitted during the June to September mating season each year.

University of Adelaide professor Frank Grutzner leads a project called Echidna CSI, researching the species through citizen science.

Some of those records include sightings, datasets from researchers and state and territory environment departments, and museum entries dating back to the 1960s, but the bulk – more than 50,000 of them – have been collected since 2010.

Hamish McCallum from Griffith University said compared to the platypus – the world's only other egg-laying mammal – echidnas were the far more widespread species.

Professor McCallum said such a fascinating animal, one that in evolutionary biology terms seemed to have been caught between being a reptile and a true mammal, deserved more research and more care from humans, especially around breeding season.

Dr Pyne said during mating season and in the following months it was important to check any injured or deceased echidna for a pouch and a potential puggle.

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