Animal Diaries Archive

Fatty the Echidna

1 April 2005

Alberta - aka - Fat Albert or Fatty bomsticks is a favourite with all the Keepers. At feed time she is sure to greet you with her long slimy tongue flickering. She is always the first to get stuck into her tucker too!

In our mammals section we like to bond as much as possible with the animals we care for and Fatty seems to thrive on it. Whenever we get in the enclosure be it at feed time, cleaning or just doing a little maintenance, Fatty will come to say hi!

Echidnas are usually a very shy and timid animal that stick there quills out and curl up into protective mode at the first hint of noise or movement - but not our Fatty. She is quite inquisitive and doesn't mind getting the odd pat.

Now believe it or not, Echidnas are quite proficient swimmers, and guess who uses our new pond more than anyone else does - yes it's Fatty bomsticks!