Echidna Party Beach

November 19, 2012 6:20 PM

Scientists on Tasmania's Maria Island caught footage of an echidna playing in the water. Stay spikey, stay cute!
posted by barnacles (20 comments total)

I will love him and pet him (carefully) and call him George.
posted by arcticseal at 6:41 PM on November 19, 2012 [4 favorites]

He might make a great fisherman. He's got the hooks and snorkel all ready.
posted by goethean at 6:43 PM on November 19, 2012 [3 favorites]

Can we call it Scoot?
posted by Area Man at 6:43 PM on November 19, 2012 [1 favorite]

I............... I............... Metafilter, I can't take it. I think the cute animal videos have finally sent me into some kind of fit. There's practically water leaking out of my eyes and I have this weird tight feeling in my ribcage like.. like... like I'm GOING TO BURST FROM THE CUTE AAAAUUUUGH
posted by WidgetAlley at 6:49 PM on November 19, 2012 [2 favorites]

The cuts in the footage were kind of confusing because it was like the echidna thought, "Aaggghhhh, Land's End menswear models!" and dived into the ocean to avoid them.

Dragging a bit of seaweed across the beach because it got caught on your spines while swimming is all kinds of cute though.
posted by jamaro at 6:54 PM on November 19, 2012 [16 favorites]

WidgetAlley, take two of these and call me in the morning.
posted by Jimbob at 6:55 PM on November 19, 2012 [1 favorite]

spiky little enchidna butt is soooo cute!
posted by supermedusa at 6:57 PM on November 19, 2012 [1 favorite]

What a cute little . . . monstrosity?
posted by Zonker at 7:00 PM on November 19, 2012

Here's looking at you, echidna.
posted by threeants at 7:22 PM on November 19, 2012 [1 favorite]

According to Google, 306 people have already thought of that before. :(
posted by threeants at 7:23 PM on November 19, 2012 [2 favorites]

So, not really playing so much as swimming across some water that was in the way?
posted by Malor at 7:33 PM on November 19, 2012 [5 favorites]

Ahhh Tasmania, I love Canberra at this time of year
posted by mattoxic at 8:24 PM on November 19, 2012

supermedusa: "spiky little enchidna butt is soooo cute!"

spiky little echidna cloaca.
posted by not_on_display at 8:51 PM on November 19, 2012 [1 favorite]

Am I the only one who finds it nearly impossible to not read that as 'enchilada'?
posted by Goofyy at 12:28 AM on November 20, 2012 [3 favorites]

Stop making me homesick!
posted by rory at 2:55 AM on November 20, 2012

I bumped into an echidna on a property recently which caused me to read up on the little critters.

Life span: 45 years
Male penis: 4 heads (concealed unless mating; not used for urination)
Female teats: non existent (milk secreted from dedicated skin patches)

Female lays egg; egg incubates in mother's pouch

Females have one young/year
Young are called puggles.
posted by de at 5:21 AM on November 20, 2012 [1 favorite]

Sorry, if the above like doesn't display, try: Echidna Puggle at Taronga Zoo
posted by de at 5:50 AM on November 20, 2012 [1 favorite]

Yeah, playing seems a bit strong of a word, but the adorableness is still there.
posted by vegartanipla at 8:58 AM on November 20, 2012

Male penis: 4 heads (concealed unless mating; not used for urination)

World's Weirdest Penis
posted by homunculus at 2:02 PM on November 20, 2012 [1 favorite]

Are these animals too 'ugly' to be saved?
posted by homunculus at 7:04 PM on November 22, 2012