Short-beaked Echidna
Short-beaked EchidnaShort-beaked EchidnaShort-beaked EchidnaShort-beaked Echidna

Short-beaked Echidna

Tachyglossus aculeatus

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
30–40% · Possible
overall probability at Great Otway National Park
206 Verified records at Great Otway National Park
January Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

The short-beaked echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus), also known as the common echidna, or short-nosed echidna, is one of four living species of echidna, and the only member of the genus Tachyglossus, from Ancient Greek ταχύς (takhús), meaning "fast", and γλῶσσα (glôssa), meaning "tongue". It is covered in fur and spines and has a distinctive snout and a specialised tongue, which it uses to catch its insect prey at a great speed. Like the other extant monotremes, the short-beaked echidna lays eggs; the monotremes are the only living group of mammals to do so. The short-beaked echidna has extremely strong front limbs and claws, which allow it to burrow quickly with great power. As it needs to be able to survive underground, it has a significant tolerance to high levels of carbon dioxide and low levels of oxygen. It has no weapons or fighting ability but deters predators by curling into a ball and protecting itself with its spines. Wikipedia →

30–40% of wildlife watchers report a Short-beaked Echidna sighting in Great Otway National Park, based on 206 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Great Otway National Park

Duck-billed Platypus
NT Endemic

Duck-billed Platypus

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Ornithorhynchus anatinus

10–20% · With luck

📅 Monthly Probability

50–60
Jan
40–50
Feb
40–50
Mar
30–40
Apr
10–20
May
10–20
Jun
<5
Jul
20–30
Aug
40–50
Sep
40–50
Oct
40–50
Nov
40–50
Dec

☀️ When They're Spotted

Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)

☀️Diurnal
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
80–90%
2 Flinders Ranges National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
60–70%
3 Maria Island National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
60–70%
4 Grampians National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
50–60%
5 Kosciuszko National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
50–60%
6 Freycinet National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
50–60%
7 Booderee National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
40–50%
8 Great Otway National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
30–40%
9 Wilsons Promontory National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
30–40%
10 Royal National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
30–40%
11 Noosa National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
30–40%
12 Blue Mountains National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
20–30%
13 Daintree National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
10–20%
14 Springbrook National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
5–10%
15 Lamington National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
5–10%
16 Nitmiluk National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data
17 Litchfield National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data
18 Ningaloo Marine Park 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data
19 Kakadu National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Short-beaked Echidna in Great Otway National Park?

About 39% of wildlife watchers report a Short-beaked Echidna sighting in Great Otway National Park, based on 206 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Short-beaked Echidna in Great Otway National Park?

January has the highest sighting rate for Short-beaked Echidna in Great Otway National Park in our monthly data.

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