On April 26, the RSPCA rescue team were alerted to 4 different incidents, relating to the rescue of Echidnas. Whilst 4 in one day is unusual enough, these incidents are normally seasonal and occur closer to Echidna breeding season - late June to August.
Our first RSPCA rescue of the day was for an echidna that had made its way into a yard in Redbank Plains and caught the attention of local dogs. It had tried to get out of the yard, however a retaining wall was causing trouble for the echidna. Thankfully our rescuers Steffi Schubert and Dani Strickner as well as ambulance assistant Michael Hyde, were able to find the echidna in time, hiding in a hole it had dug. It was then brought into the RSPCA Wildlife Hospital at Wacol where it was examined for any possible injuries so it could be released back into the wild away from nosey pooches.
The second rescue was in Carindale where a caller had reported that an echidna was entangled in a plastic bag. It was determined that the echidna had been stuck under a pipe for 2 days. Our same rescue team headed out to assist the echidna and brought it into our Wildlife Hospital for a health check.
Our third rescue attempt was for an echidna on the Cunningham Highway at Redbank Plains. Unfortunately, the animal was hit by a passing car and didn’t make it.
On the final echidna rescue of the day our team collected a prickly customer from a vet in Cleveland. It was suspected that this echidna was hit by a car after being found on a footpath bleeding and injured. Luckily, this little one was taken into the local vet by a kind member of the public. It’s now currently under care at our Wildlife Hospital at Wacol and we are hopeful for a speedy recovery.
We here at the RSPCA would like to thank the community members that report these incidents to us on 1300 ANIMAL (1300 264 625). We also couldn't help our native wildlife without our rescue team and dedicated volunteers out on the road every day.
Without these important phone calls, some of these echidnas might not have had a positive outcome, so if you ever see wildlife in trouble, just give us a call.
Find out more tips here on how to avoid wildlife on our roads whilst driving.
