Kangaroo Valley has the two oldest mammals on the planet. Echidnas and their closest relative, the platypus, were around with the dinosaurs, almost 200 million years ago according to recent studies.
It’s time to start counting echidnas again! The 2023 Kangaroo Valley Annual Echidna Count starts on Monday 11 September and runs until Sunday 17 September.
The Kangaroo Valley Environment Group is monitoring the number of echidna sightings at this time each year. Echidnas are difficult to study because they are shy and their movements cannot be predicted. By recording and comparing the sightings we will monitor the well-being of the valley’s echidna population for years to come.
The 2023 Echidna Count project page is in iNaturalist here:
https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/2023-kangaroo-valley-echidna-count.
On that page you can sign in or log in to iNaturalist by clicking Log in or Sign in tab near the top right of the screen, and you can join the project by clicking on the ‘Join’ tab, to receive journals about echidnas throughout the week.
To record sightings of echidnas, download the free iNaturalist phone app and use it to take photos. Or records of sightings of echidnas can be uploaded by going to the Echidna Count project page and clicking on the green arrow in the top line.
There is an iNaturalist Getting Started page here if you want help: https://www.inaturalist.org/pages/getting+started.
If you are having problems using iNaturalist, contact me at ckswatson@gmail.com, and I will help you load your photos or record your sightings.
Photo of echidna on log by Liz Cunningham
Photo of echidna on grass by Chakola
Platypus and the Platy-Project
This September, the Australian Conservation Foundation and academics at the University of NSW are asking people to head down to their local creek or river, find a quiet place on the bank, try to spot a platypus and record what you see.
By taking part in the Platy-Project, you’ll help researchers understand more about this elusive animal and how we can better protect it. There are more details and you can sign up here: https://www.acf.org.au/platy-project and there is a video on how to do a platypus survey.
To see beautiful photography of echidnas and platypuses there is an Australia remastered program and a story about a platypus guardian.
Photo of platypus from A national assessment of the conservation status of the platypus.
Enjoy these extraordinary animals this September!
Kate Watson
for Kangaroo Valley Environment Group
