The short-beaked echidna is one of Australia’s most wonderfully weird mammals — covered in sharp spines, equipped with a long sticky tongue, and capable of laying eggs despite being a mammal. Found right across the country, from bushland to alpine regions, it uses its powerful claws to tear into ant and termite nests, slurping up thousands of insects in a single meal. When threatened, it simply digs straight down or curls into a spiky ball, making predators think twice. Although widespread, habitat loss, road strikes and feral predators still pose risks, and organisations like Aussie Ark work to protect native species and restore safe habitats. Even more remarkable, echidna mums carry their tiny hatchling — called a puggle — in a temporary pouch before tucking it safely into a burrow while they forage.