ECHIDNA
🦔 Echidnas in Winter: Breeding, Puggles, and Survival
Discover the secret winter life of Echidnas in Australia – from breeding behaviours and the birth of Puggles to how you can help protect these unique spiky mammals.
The Secret Life of Echidnas in Winter
While many of us snuggle into heaters and blankets during the Australian winter, nature outside continues without pause. From July to August, Echidnas embark on one of the most intriguing events in the bushland calendar – their breeding season.
It’s a time of companionship, survival, and mystery. Hidden beneath the underbrush, a female Echidna may be carrying one of nature’s most extraordinary treasures: a tiny developing Echidna in a soft-shelled egg, tucked safely into her pouch.
The Echidna’s Unique Breeding Season
Unlike marsupials, Echidnas don’t have a permanent pouch. Instead, the mother creates a temporary fold of skin to protect her egg. When the time comes, she lies on her back and gently guides the egg into this makeshift pouch.
Within just 10 days, the egg hatches and out comes a Puggle – blind, hairless, and entirely dependent on its mother.
From Egg to Puggle: A Rare Mammal Story
The first days of life are remarkable:
- The Puggle hatches using its egg tooth – the only tooth it will ever have.
- It stays in the mother’s pouch for around 50 days, feeding on nutrient-rich milk.
- Once its sharp spines begin to grow, the mother moves it into a nursery burrow.
- She visits every 5–6 days to feed it until it’s strong enough to survive alone.
Fun fact: Echidna milk contains powerful antimicrobial properties, sparking scientific research into new medical treatments.
Echidna Courtship: The Famous “Echidna Train”
One of the more curious winter spectacles is the Echidna train – where several males follow a single female for days or even weeks, vying for her attention. This endurance contest often leaves males losing a significant amount of body weight.
Echidnas and Their Environment
These incredible monotremes have evolved to survive across much of Australia:
- Low body temperature: about 32–33°C, helping them survive in cool conditions.
- Swimmers and burrowers: they dig quickly to escape threats and use waterholes to stay cool in summer.
- Remarkable memory and intelligence: research shows Echidnas are excellent problem-solvers.
Helping Echidnas in the Wild
Sadly, dogs and motor vehicles now pose the biggest risk to Echidnas. Their slow pace makes road-crossings dangerous, and frightened Echidnas instinctively burrow into the ground, rather than fleeing.
👉 What you can do if you find one:
- Never relocate an Echidna – they have strong site loyalty and will try to return, crossing unsafe terrain.
- Keep pets and curious humans away until the animal feels safe to move on.
- If you find an injured Echidna, or one struck by a car, check the area for a Puggle – they may have rolled away and appear like a small, smooth clay ball. Wrap gently (no heat) and contact a registered Wildlife care organisation immediately.
Why Echidnas Matter
The Echidna’s story reminds us of the fragile balance between wildlife and human activity. With lifespans of over 50 years, these creatures represent resilience, adaptation, and evolutionary marvel.
By respecting their habitats and being mindful on the roads, we play a key role in ensuring their survival across Australia’s diverse landscapes.
From the hatching of a tiny Puggle to the determined march of the Echidna train, these monotremes are a marvel of nature. Their survival depends not just on their extraordinary adaptations, but also on how we humans choose to live alongside them.
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