Short-beaked Echidna

Short-beaked Echidna at Hobart Zoo and Aquarium

Spiky yet irresistibly charming—the Short-beaked Echidna is one of Australia’s most iconic animals. Our very own echidna, Miss Noodle, is a visitor favourite with her unique way of exploring the world and enjoying her meals. While her eyesight is limited, she has an incredible ability to sense vibrations and detect food through her keen sense of smell. Watching her carefully pause, sniff out her treats, and then slowly savour each bite is a true delight.

In the wild

Short-beaked Echidnas are found across most of Australia, from forests and deserts to coastal regions. They use their long snouts and sticky tongues to feed on ants and termites, breaking into logs and soil with their strong claws. Covered in sharp spines for protection, echidnas are shy and solitary but play an important role in ecosystems by controlling insect populations and turning soil while foraging.

Female echidnas are egg-laying mammals (monotremes). They lay a single egg into their pouch, where it hatches after about 10 days. The baby, called a puggle, remains in the pouch until its spines begin to develop at around 50 days, after which the mother moves it to a burrow and continues to care for it.

How We Care for Miss Noodle at Hobart Zoo and Aquarium

Special Feeding

Miss Noodle enjoys a carefully prepared diet that mimics her wild feeding habits. Keepers offer her insect mixes and treats in ways that encourage her natural foraging instincts.
Safe and Enriching Habitat

Their exhibit includes logs, hollow branches, rockwork, and climbing platforms, giving them opportunities to leap, climb, and stay out of sight—just how they like it.
Gentle Care

Because Miss Noodle is sensitive to movement but not noise, our keepers ensure her environment is calm and respectful of her needs, allowing her to thrive while showing off her unique personality.

🐾 Spot the spotty one if you can! These agile marsupial predators are fast, secretive, and fiercely fascinating—a living reminder of Australia’s wild heart.