An extremely rare albino echidna has been spotted in Sydney, according to witnesses who saw the quill-covered animal wandering the streets.
Raffie the Extremely Rare Albino Echidna
The snow-colored spine ball was spotted walking about Bathurst, which is located in New South Wales about 120 miles northwest of Sydney.
Tuesday afternoon, a local councilor noticed it and gave it the name Raffie after the Ferrero Raffaello coconut truffles.
Short-beaked echidnas are already shy and somewhat elusive, according to a spokesman of Bathurst Regional Council, but it's extremely uncommon to see an albino short-beaked echidna.
The animal's color is a result of albinism, a hereditary disorder that inhibits the body from manufacturing melanin pigment.
Raffie was too gorgeous to keep to yourself, according to Bathurst Council, which uploaded pictures of the echidna on its Facebook page.
Short-beaked Echidnas
In Australia, short-beaked echidnas can be found almost everywhere.
However, due to their solitary nature, it is uncommon to see them in the wild.
According to the Australian Museum, the short-beaked echidna can be recognized by its sharp spines, small legs, and long snout.
Their spines serve as a layer of defense against predators, according to a Bathurst council representative.
When a predator approaches, they will curl up into a ball, put out their spikes, or shuffle and burrow themselves into the ground for protection.
Despite having few natural enemies, the short-beaked echidna can be killed by cars, dogs, foxes, and rarely goannas.
Cats can also prey on the young.
Egg-Laying Mammal
According to Scientific American, the only animals that lay eggs are echidnas and duck-billed platypuses.
The female echidna will lay a single soft-shelled egg into her pouch around a month after mating; the egg hatches in just 10 days.
Short-beaked echidnas are frequently referred to be "ecosystem engineers" and have a hugely significant function to play in their local habitat.
The animal spends a significant amount of time digging, scratching, and shifting earth in search of food, such as termites and ants, according to the Bathurst spokesperson.
By turning over and blending organic particles, this soil moving and digging enhances the health of the soil.
It enhances water filtration, which raises soil moisture levels, and breaks up hard soils that are usually inaccessible to plant seedlings.
Additionally, they aid in the spread of mycorrhizal fungi, which are crucial to plant health and biodiversity because they aid native plants in absorbing more nutrients from Australia's depleted soils.
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Threats to Echidnas
However, this vital species is seriously threatened by habitat loss, predation, and automobiles.
Raffie will continue to be observed by Bathurst Regional Council, which has urged locals to keep an eye out for him and to report any sightings.
The council urges members of the public to participate in citizen science by reporting sightings of short-beaked echidnas and other native species in our area to Echidna CSI or iNaturalist.
However, the council requests that people not identify the exact location of Raffie or any other species that exhibits albinism to ensure their protection, Newsweek reported.
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