I found an Echidna.

[Stephen B]

[size=13pt]Discovered the reason for our tank pump going almost continuously for the past month was a faulty mains water meter. This was after the local plumber and I searched under the house for leaks for an hour.

Decided to isolate the water mains inlet to house from tank inlet to house with a ball gate valve. As I lifted up some decking to install the valve I discovered an Echidna. These are not Porcupines, rather egg laying mammal ant eaters. Installed valve and pump appears to have returned to correct operation. The Echidna? She hardly moved during the whole process despite banging, sawing, a water spurt  [eek] and drilling.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Echidna

[attachimg=1]

 

[Bohdan]

Years ago while camping in the bush some kids found an echidna. As it had rolled into a ball, to defend itself, they managed to pick it up with a jumper and bring it back to the campsite to show everybody. They decided to keep it in their tent and placed it on one of their sleeping bags.

They then found out how fast an echidna can dig. Took only seconds, straight thru the sleeping bag, thru the tent floor and it was gone - under the tent. After that if they find an echidna they know to leave it alone.

 

[charley1968]

Geee, i dig all those funny animals you sport in Australia. Keep it coming!

 

[Kev]

Geee, i dig all those funny animals you sport in Australia. Keep it coming!

We have one called an "Abbott" .. soon to be extinct

 

[DB10]

Along with the hopefully less a spotted, Cocky - Hockey.

 

[charley1968]

Is that the marsupial that empties the pouches of its fellow marsupials when it gets to be alpha-male?

 

[Stephen B]

Along with the hopefully less a spotted, Cocky - Hockey.

We have one called an "Abbott" .. soon to be extinct

[size=13pt] Extremely unpopular Australian Prime Minister gets rolled by his party, is shown the door, [size=14pt]Australia cheers (well 70% do)[size=13pt], two FOG members refer to it here, [size=14pt] and no Moderators notice this political commentry after two days.

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[member=42735]DB10[/member] [member=13058]Kev[/member]

 

[DB10]

[member=19746]Untidy Shop[/member] We slipped under the radar  [big grin]
Will be going over to the dark side this weekend, I am visiting Melbourne so I can top up on the culture, I was offered a ticket for the AFL but its's not really my scene, I'm going to be more interested in how the Rugby World Cup plays out.

 

[jjowen]

two FOG members refer to it here, [size=12pt] and no Moderators notice this political commentry after two days.

I think current US and AUS politics are categorised as 'Sport and Recreation' and hence don't fall under any ban on political commentary.

 

[peter halle]

When it comes to politics I have no opinion and don't pay attention to any of it anywhere in the world.  Yes it slipped under the radar as far as I have read.  if it becomes a problem it will be dealt with.

Peter

 

[teocaf]

One could argue that what happens in some outback backwater is not too relevant, especially if posters have to keep pointing out:  "hey look we're talking politics here guys, how come no one's paying attention?" 
i'm kidding of course, but i would point out that last night, in our neck of the woods, we had out own little circus that kept us entertained and distracted.

but to be fair to the OP and get right back on topic: 

look guys, I've also found an Echidna!

[attachimg=1]

 

[peter halle]

Now you've struck a nerve.  I used to have blond hair.

How about we go back to talking about that spiny animal in Australia that the OP posted versus spiny animals or any animals or politics here in the US or anywhere in the universe.

Peter

 

[Kev]

When it comes to politics I have no opinion and don't pay attention to any of it anywhere in the world.  Yes it slipped under the radar as far as I have read.  if it becomes a problem it will be dealt with.

Peter

[member=1674]Peter Halle[/member]

Are you saying you will step in and fix our rubbish government? [big grin]

 

[peter halle]

No.  I have enough trouble to righting my own life. 

Peter

 

[Kev]

Nothing like finding an Echidna ... on a very rapid MTB descent years ago I manged to hop a massive flyblown Wombat. The guy trailing me wasn't so lucky and hit it at full pelt. It was messy!! [eek] [sad]

 

[peter halle]

Nothing like finding an Echidna ... on a very rapid MTB descent years ago I manged to hop a massive flyblown Wombat. The guy trailing me wasn't so lucky and hit it at full pelt. It was messy!! [eek] [sad]

Many years ago when I was a commercial construction project manager I was in charge of a new large big box store outside of Seattle.  The developer was from Australia.  The stories he told about hitting a kangaroo and having it end up inside a car with its claws would be a great basis for a horror movie.

Peter

 

[CrazyLarry]

You should all think yourselves lucky ...

After a couple of decades during which all of our 'representatives' of whatever colour of the rainbow have acquired the personality of manufacturing plant robots crossed with call centre personel we now have a new 'kid' on the block... who looks, sounds and even has the contemplative pauses of a geography teacher (think drop out teaching at a community college for you yanks) with a voting history slightly left of comrade Putin!

I suppose at least it's different and he is polite which is a bonus!

Apparently this Echidna creature is one of the oldest unchanged land species, we had a BBC program on it a while back there was something special about it... I'll try and find a link.

 

[teocaf]

Many years ago when I was a commercial construction project manager I was in charge of a new large big box store outside of Seattle.  The developer was from Australia.  The stories he told about hitting a kangaroo and having it end up inside a car with its claws would be a great basis for a horror movie.
Peter

I believe they made that movie:  the way my mind works, as soon as I read your post, I had to type 'kangaroo car accident' into the ol' googlematic -- ghastly stuff...

but bringing the conversation back to rarely-seen spiny "creatures", here's one that I've never encountered before:

[attachimg=1]

the festool rustofix

 

[CrazyLarry]

Here it is...

40:33 onwards

 

[Kev]

[attachimg=1]

the festool rustofix

[member=2205]teocaf[/member]

They're typically not spotted in North America - something about the air not being quite corrosive enough for them to thrive and their need for a local diet of 240V.