Short-Beaked Echidna, Northeast Tasmania, AustraliaI’ve photographed echidnas before (on my previous trip to Australia back in 2006). Even so, they were at the top of my list to get photos of on this most recent trip to Tasmania. For an animal that seems to aimlessly wander around, and rarely picks its head up from the ground, they somehow still manage to pack a ton of personality into their little spiked bodies. They are monotremes — along with the platypus — the only egg laying mammals left on earth. This echidna gave me a rare treat by lifting his/her head up, allowing me to get a shot of the open eyes. The echidnas on Tasmania are the same species as the ones on mainland Australia, but they have less spikes and are furrier of face.
Nikon D810 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 220mm) ISO 200, f/5.6 at 1/15th of a second