Puggle Post Shorts - In this issue
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Puggle Post Shorts
A N T I P O D E A N
In this issue...
➤200 year-old echidna art ➤ Our youngest echidna Mum
➤ Echidnas go electronic ➤ Half a century for Dr Peggy!
Echidnas... an encounter ...
Echidnas Illustrated France by French artist Charles-Alexander wrote the first scientific description of what
Lesueur in 1804 (bottom left) from sketch- he call "the porcupine ant-eater" and
1792-1804 es he'd made while in Australia. It's nor- included the engraving in The Naturalist's
by Dr. Peggy mal 'home' is the Natural History Museum Miscellany, an annual publication.(below)
in Le Havre, France. Sarah Thomas, cura- This pickled specimen was apparently
Ever wonder who drew, sketched or oth -
tor of Australian art describes it as a kept for some time because another
erwise produced the first echidna pictures?
"watercolour, ink, and pencil work on vel- artist's rendition of the same animal
A recent exhibition at the South Australia lum. Vellum, which is animals skin gives appeared in an article by anatomist
art gallery called 'ENCOUNTER 2002" the works a very jewel-like quality," she Everard Home in 1802 (Philosophical
sparked my interest in early 'echidna art'. says. She does not elaborate on what Transactions of the Royal Society of
The exhibition featured the works of artists type of vellum was used, but I am sure the London). He describes receiving this ani-
from Matthew Flinders and Nicolas skin was not echidna! mal from
Baudin's voyages to "Terre Australie" Lesueur's painting of Shaw and
between 1800 and 1803. an echidna was not the that it was
first to be produced! In collected in
LESUEUR
fact, the first published New South
picture of an echidna Wales.
S H AW
appeared in 1792 when For com-
the echidna had its scientific parison, he
debut. Naturalist George Shaw of London also included a dr awing of a Tasmanian
received a pickled specimen of an echidna
echidna (see page 3). This drawing defi-
in 1792 that was "collected on an ant hill
Among the many paintings depicting nitely has the most interesting history. It
in New Holland". Later that same year he
botanical specimens and native peoples was made by none other than Captain
was one of an echidna. It was produced in Front cover photograph by Mike McKelvey William Bligh (yes the same Bligh that had
of Pelicans on ..where else..Pelican Lagoon!
continued page 3...
continued from page 2...
And while we are the subject of echidna illustrations below
the mutiny in 1790.
is a far more imaginative and colourful one by Jordon Vallino
on the In any
age 6, of an echidna with its food source. Jordon was inspired
Bounty). case, to do this dr awing after he saw an echidna while staying at
While Bligh's the Midginbil Hill Country resort near Murwillumbah in New
moored at drawing is South Wales.
Adventure the earliest
Bay, European
Van HOME echidna art
Diemen's that we
Land, now known as Tasmania, have found.
one of Bligh's officers shot an Just to wrap up Bligh's echid-
animal "of very odd form". So na encounter. Another of Bligh's
before dining on it Bligh made officers wrote in his journal
a drawing. "This animal
When was was roasted
this? and found to
Some lit- be of a deli-
erature cate
says it was flavour".
in February I don't know
BLIGH
1792, but of too many
Home who wildlife
published the drawing in 1804 artists today who eat their sub-
reported the incident took place jects!
Our youngest echidna Mum
I
sabelle Gatley waits quietly in the mallee woodland on Kangaroo
Island. There are lots of sounds during the afternoon. Grey
Currawongs peel bark from the trees and wallabies thump by.
Isabelle is waiting and watching for movement under a dense Correa
bush. She is with Dr. Peggy tracking a newly transmitted echidna. Their
soft movements do not disturb the animal. It starts feeding around the
base of the bush and then walks off through the understory.
Isabelle is one of the youngest people to adopt an echidna. During
breaks from school she and her family spend a lot of time on Kangaroo
Island. Sometimes they see an echidna in the coastal dunes or along one
of the
island
roads. She
wants to
learn more about these curious creatures and has decided to name her
study animal Milli after her favorite actor Spike Milligan. It is an inter-
esting choice of names because Spike Milligan is best known for his sto-
ries and ability to communicate. The new echidna named Milli is helping
us to learn more about how echidnas communicate. During the last sev-
eral seasons we have been learning more and more about the unusual
ways echidnas keep in touch with each other. Milli is teaching us that
there is lots more to learn!
Thanks Isabelle for supporting the adopt an echidna program.
Echidnas go electronic! Our very computer literate Echidna Care going to your START menu then SETTINGS Inc. Secretary, Paul Boehm has produced a then CONTROL PANEL. Open up the mouse little digital echidna magic which he would control panel (properties) and within there like to share with all our computer friendly you can change the cursor. There ought to echidna carers around the world. be several tabs, the one you want is titled Paul has created an animated echidna POINTERS. Highlight the function you want cursor. You can use Paul's cursor to replace to add the echidna cursor to and then click the standard one on any PC computer on BROWSE. Select the folder you stored PROPERTIES, select the SHORTCUT tab and using Windows 98. (Sorry Macintosh users your echidna cursor in then click open. The click on CHANGE ICON. From here you do …we miss out) Paul has also made a static old arrow (or whatever) will change to the the same as for the cursor…going to the cursor and an echidna icon for special files echidna cursor. It's that easy. You can use location in which it is stored, select it, open you want to stand out. "It all helps to either the non-moving or moving cursor. it and then hit 'OK' from the folders prop- increase awareness of our unique little egg Then click on 'OK' and you're done! I used erties. The new icon should now be dis- laying mammal", said Paul. the non-moving cursor for the NORMAL played. You can email Paul for copies of the three SELECT function and the moving cursor for files at pmboehm@internode.on.net the BUSY function. I hope you enjoy using the new echidnas and then follow these instructions. Which part of the echidna cursor is the in all their forms and don't be scared of Copy the cursors and icon to a new file 'active' bit? Install it and find out! foraging your new echidna pointer all over on your computer. Don't forget where you Installing the echidna ICON is even her/his new home range. She/he will love put them! easier. you all the more for it. To change your current cursor to the new From your desktop choose the folder you All the best, one(s) want to apply the echidna icon to by Paul Boehm Access your MOUSE control panel by RIGHT clicking it. Then left click on
Echidnas animals are all part of the
9-10 November, 2002 geography of life.
CVA Conservation Volunteers
Echidna Discovery workshop
work program 27-31 May
with Dr. Peggy at Pelican Additional Workshop and
EW Earthwatch 15-28 June 02
EW Earthwatch 13-25 July 02 Lagoon, Kangaroo Island. Participant Programs
CVA Conservation Volunteers Exploring a variety of echid- throughout the year:
work program 5-9 August 02 na habitats and learning There are a number of
EW Earthwatch 17-30 August 02 how the echidna fits into the weekday workshop and par-
EC Biodiversity,a window in time 7-8 September 02 living circle of these dynamic ticipant programs with the
EW Discovery Weekend 4-6 October 02 systems. Two days of expe- Penguin Study Group.
EW Earthwatch 1 12-25 October 02 riencing the bush from the Birdwatching and bird sur-
CVA Conservation Volunteers viewpoint of one of the plan- vey programs with resident
work program 4-8 November 02 ets longest surviving mam- biologist are available upon
EC Echidnas 9-10 November 02 request. Applications for the
mals.
EW Students in Science 14-20 December 02
Biodiversity Pelican Lagoon Wildlife Artist
7-8 September, 2002 in Residence program close
Australian contact phone numbers and addresses:
Some seasons Biodiversity is 1 December of each year.
EW-Earthwatch Email earth@earthwatch.org.au
more obvious than others. The one week Work
Phone 03 9682 6828 126 Bank Street South Melbourne Vic 3205
September is an obvious Experience in Field Biology
EC-Echidna Care Inc. Email echidna@kin.net.au
time. Habitats and individu- Monitoring and Survey pro-
A/hours 08 8553 7174
als stand out clearly in gram takes applications for
Post Office Penneshaw Kangaroo Island SA 5222
colour and form at this time selected projects with cur -
CVA -Conservation Volunteers Australia (formerly ATCV)
of year. Explore what rent biologist; contact Dr.
Ph 08 8212 0777 130 Franklin Street Adelaide 5000
makes up the diversity and Peggy Rismiller for details at
how it functions. Plants and echidna@kin.net.au.Jett lag?
No false idols for echidnas
J
ett (short for jetty) is one of Pelican
Lagoon's more assertive echidnas.
Echidnas do not celebrate Christmas, I have been privileged to see a puggle in When sprung in the bush there is no
Easter or Mothers' Da y. On the whole, they a pouch -- I know the feeling. rolling into balls or digging holes for this
tend to not erect idols, dwell in a world of JR, Payneham South Australia little blonde. Jett simply ignores the intrud-
guilt, demand retribution from others, cre- er and carries on with business. But Jett
ate double standards, specialise in wasn't always so bold and daring.
Launceston Tasmania "The Examiner"
hypocrisy, etcetera. On the other hand, One day last year a spiky ball was sighted
29 Dec 01 Brown Dun: Fishing
on the ramp of the Kangaroo Island ferry at
they love grubs. Echidnas remind us that
Penneshaw. On closer inspection it was dis-
we only live once, and that survival is pre- Standing waist deep in the part
covered the ball was in fact an echidna. Dr
cious. river, part lake that is Northern
Peggy was called to the rescue. It appeared
Dear Peggy and Mik e Tasmania's Brumbys Creek, and intent
that someone must ha ve kidnapped the sub
I re-read your book again last week.(The on following the course of my small dry
adult echidna and then changing their mind
Echidna, Australia’s Enigma) I was fly, I saw but ignored a little stick that
at the last minute callously dumped their
impressed by the lack of exclamation seemed to be bobbing towards me.
little captive to fend for itself amongst the
When the trout fly had finished its drift,
marks. There is very little shouting in the trucks and cars. Nice one guys!
I now noticed that the stick was floating
book. When shouting does occur, it is Peggy took Jett back to Pelican Lagoon
upright for some reason - and appeared
splendidly appropriate and con veys great for some intensive TLC but for weeks Jett
to be heading in slow motion across the
excitement. It conveys the joy of the world was totally traumatised by the experience
current towards me. As it continued its
manifested in these delightful and mysteri- making no effort to either move or eat.
approach, curiosity gave way to vague
ous creatures. The manifold curiousities of Then one day, for no particular reason, Jett
alarm - and then wonderment, as I
existence are cause enough for us to pause finally accepted some of Dr Peggy's 'echid-
carefully helped to shore a very weary
na custard', loved it and from then on
and stand in awe, listen in magisterial echidna totally submerged except for its
made a remarkable reco very to become
silence, or exclaim in exultant shouts. long echidna nose!
The Echidna with Attitude.The world around us...
British Millennium Volunteer Hillary Parke willy-nilly and hasn't set up any real safe-
actively works through Community guards or guidelines for eco tourism.
Conservation programs in Scotland. However, I think we've persuaded them to
Recently she lead a group of young people set up workshops to study these issues, so
on a working trip to the north east across maybe it's a start. We were also very
the North Sea: skeptical about the Finnish Forestry ser- .
vice's claims about its sustainable forestry
Become an ‘echidna
"I spent several weeks this summer organ- policy...in Finnish sawmills/pulpmills we
parent’ for $100.
ising and then co-leading an expedition to saw lots of Russian old-growth timber
the far north of Russian and Finnish Karelia being pulped, while the Finns were claim- Adopt an Echidna Programme was
with a group of young people. Called Eco ing it was much younger Finnish trees that launched last year We are looking for
Forest Travel, the group spent part of the were going through. We had a Russian for- schools, organisations, companies or
time taking down the Iron Curtain, which est ecologist with us, so there was little individuals to adopt us. “Official”
is now a hazard to wildlife. We also did room for doubt about the age of the tim- Echidna Adoption papers will be sent to
conservation work on remote islands which ber. What a fate for such irreplaceable our new ‘parents’ and you receive a
have been littered by hunters and fisher- forests...we'd just spent a week travelling regular update about what we get up
men, built a boardwalk to prevent erosion though such areas and could see places to. All adoption fees will be used for
of a mire by the increasing numbers of vis- that had been logged in a very intrusive further research by Dr. Peggy to find
itors and we took Canadian canoes right and ground-wrecking manner by local cow- our what makes us tick!
up to the Arctic circle to study some of the boy contractors, all of them conveniently Echidna Care Inc. Adoption
wilderness species. It was great, but I adjacent to the main routes into Finland. Agency
came back with many concerns about the Still, we got co verage by Russian and Post Office Penneshaw, Kangaroo
new Russian National Parks movement, Finnish TV and newspapers and were able Island 5222 Australia
which seems to want to bring visitors in to raise these issues."
Email: echidna@kin.net.auSign of the times!
T
alking of signs of the times..there were special celebrations
this May at
Pelican
Lagoon. A multi-
Echidna Care Inc ha ve Echidna
tude of pink bal -
Road Sign Kits available which
loons announced
have been designed to help protect
Dr Peggy's 50th
your local echidnas from becoming
birthday.
another road kill statistic. Put up
"Someone told
warning signs on any roads your
me you had to wait
echidnas may have to cross so
at least three days
you can warn motorists of the
after turning 50 to
danger (to the echidnas!). The
realise the full
Echidna Road Sign Kits cost $A5
impact”, said
each which includes postage in
Peggy. “Well, four
Australia (please add an extra
days have passed
$A5 for overseas orders) The
and things look
kits consist of two yellow plas-
pretty much the
tic signs, 19x19cms, with the
same.” I had a
wording “Echidnas Next
great day. We had
4Kms” and also what all
plenty of fun, food
good echidna watchers
and drink-all organ-
should have-”The Echidna
ised by friends, and
Watcher’s Guide”.
there were three
Echidna Road Sign Kits are available
birthday cakes! I
from: Echidna Care Inc. Post Office
hear the second
Penneshaw Kangaroo Island South Australia 5222
half will be better
Email:echidna@kin.net.au
than the first!” [It’s true Dr P...it’s true!]the last word...
S
ince my echidna indoctrination a tat. A few weeks later the results came in -
couple of years ago hiking in the Dr Peggy enlightened me - my echidna
bush has never been quite the scat was in fact Chough spit!
same. Nowadays I'm always on the lookout It was a what? Turns out a Chough Has your membership lapsed? Or would
you like to make a research donation?
for nose pokes, digs and scats, and if I'm (chuff) is a medium sized black bird that
Know someone who wants to join
really really lucky maybe even a 'sighting'. looks very much like a raven. Choughs col-
Echidna Care Inc?
A couple of weeks ago, I was head down lect seeds, hair and stuff in a crop and now
Membership fees for Echidna Care are
hiking up a hill and suddenly there it was - and then spit it all out as a pellet. (That let
for a 12 month period.
all black and cylindrical. Of course I recog- me tell you looks remarkably like an echid- There are several membership cate-
nised it immediately -it was an echidna na scat!) gories
scat. I was thrilled and whipped out my Looks like this amateur biologist’s career
• Standard-Individual . $15
empty film container -no echidna seeker has taken a step or two backwards but
• Student/pensioner . . $10
should travel without one -and carefully never mind I was still choughed with my
placed my prize inside, noting location of discovery.
• Group Membership . . $25
the find, time and weather conditions. By the way do you know what echidna • Overseas . . . . . . . . . . $A25
A couple of days later I sent the scat spines are...hair with attitude. Please send your fees or donations to:
back to 'headquarters'. Scats are impor- Cheers Echidna Care Inc.
tant, they can reveal all sorts of useful Joy W - Ed Post Office Penneshaw
information about the echidna and its habi- Kangaroo Island 5222 Australia
All Echidna Care membership fees and
Please pass this E-newsletter on to any person or group you think
donations are used to purchase field
may be interested. research equipment for Dr Peggy
And if you are reading this as a ‘pass-on’ and would like to be includ- Rismiller’s echidna research on
ed on our regular E-mailing list contact us direct at Kangaroo Island and for community
education programmes.
echidna@kin.net.auYou can also read
