Longitude 131° | February 25, 2021
A Colourful Partnership
Tjungu waakarinyi translates to ‘working together’. A sentiment that underpins the treasured partnership between Ernabella Arts and Longitude 131°.
“The Kangaroo Island Short-beaked Echidna has recently been listed as endangered under the Environmental Protection Biodiversity Conservation Act.”
There are two theories to explain this unique mating tradition: one is that the males trail the female until she grows tired, slows down, and accepts the advances of the first male in line as her mate; the other is that the female recognises the compatibility of the male through smell, and that she is waiting for the right male to be directly behind her. Echidna mating trains can be seen by lucky visitors across Kangaroo Island at the end of winter, an incredible sight to see.
After mating, the male has no further contact with the female or his offspring. A pregnant echidna forms a temporary pouch to carry the egg. A young echidna is born the size of a grape but grows rapidly on its mother’s milk, and at six months the youngster leaves the burrow and has no more contact with its mother.
The Kangaroo Island Short-beaked Echidna has recently been listed as endangered under the Environmental Protection Biodiversity Conservation Act. Local threats include predation by feral cats and pigs, habitat loss and fragmentation, road mortality and some reports of deaths due to electric fences. When confronted by predators – or anything that frightens them – they will dig fast and deep into the soil or wedge themselves between a crevice or log. On hard surfaces, they will curl into a spiky, defensive ball.
These fascinating creatures are a key part of the natural ecosystem on Kangaroo Island and can often be seen around Southern Ocean Lodge along the driveway which leads through the bushland. A tiny, very young echidna has recently taken up residence near the lodge, known to staff and guests as ‘Enchilada’. Another favourite spot is among the coastal scrub along the boardwalk which leads to the Southern Ocean. With exceptional hearing and a good sense of smell, guests must tread quietly, they’re incredibly shy!
*Britannica Encyclopedia
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