The spiny monotremes are embarking upon their breeding season (typically June to October), and they travel both day and night to compete for breeding rights, but humans are warned: do not touch, move or redirect them.

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“One female will have up to eleven males follow her for as far as they have to, sometimes many kilometres, in a ‘train’, until she turns around and picks a suitor to breed with,” explained Nat from Wildlife In Need of Care (WINC).

“They are usually solitary creatures, but this time of year they can be seen following each other in a train, with the female in the lead.

“Never put one in the car, as the only way to get it out is to use a strong hose.

“Their spines are made of tough keratin, which can puncture tyres as well as hurt people, and even thick gloves aren’t going to help, so the best action is to just stop and give it a minute to continue the journey.”

The echidna’s primary defence reflex is to tuck up into a big, spiny ball, so approaching one on the road will only delay the process of clearing it of danger.

Echidnas are apparently excellent swimmers, so seeing one along a causeway is not as unusual as it might seem.

The biggest problem is when cars speed down back-roads in excess of posted limits, running the serious risk of hitting the little ant-eaters, killing an endangered species, not to mention causing some serious damage to the car.

Spring, of course, brings with it the baby bird season, and WINC implores everyone to be intelligent when confronted with our newest avian friends.

“Please do not pick up a baby magpie – if you see one on the ground, they are just learning to fly, which can take up to 30 days, so don’t assume it is abandoned,” Nat explained.

“Microbats are active now, just coming out of torpor, so they and the birds will eat more insects.”

A recent case of heartless animal cruelty was also cited in Tea Gardens, in which a female kangaroo was allegedly hit by a car, then deliberately stomped upon by the driver.

Kangaroos prefer the drier, less rich grass that grows near the edge of paved roads, as well as the heat the roads discharge after sunset, so motorists are, once again, warned to slow down and remain vigilant.

By Thomas O’KEEFE