Echidna shopping at Woolworths in Cowes: Ph. Is.

As Doug walked towards the entrance of the Woolworths Shopping Complex in Cowes, his attention was drawn to a crowd of people surrounding one very frightened echidna. It was trying to burrow into the concrete, and when that proved impossible, the echidna tried to make his way through the glass shop front.

Using a shopping bag and towel from the ute, Doug got the echidna into the bag and then into the ute.

Back home, we took the echidna down our bush track and released him in an area of bush beside the mutton bird rookery. We've seen other echidnas in this area, and there are plenty of ants there for them to eat.

An echidna visits our dogs

Perhaps it was the heat of the day that lured an echidna into our back verandah and under Major's bed.

Major told us of the prickly visitor and soon Doug had the echidna in a bag -- with the help of a plastic shovel. Released in nearby coastal scrub, the echidna scurried off, heading for the nearest bush.

These remarkable monotremes lay eggs, feed their young milk and protect their baby (a puggle) in a rudimentary pouch.