Monotreme Curiosity

OE Global 2024 Interaction Zone
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While for many people social media is a place for follow trending or popular items, I revel in the obscure, the things I discover almost by accident.

Before I dive into what I learned, I am curious to know, for those who are distant from Australia- where and what do you see in news or of interest from that part of the world? And for our Australian colleagues, where are good and maybe less obvious sources to learn more about their country, land, people? It could be news, yes, but also art, music, landscapes, food…

Okay, I follow on Mastodon a retired US librarian who I believe lives or spends time in maybe Ireland? Europe? I forget. But bless librarians, for what they discover.

So Melissa reposted this message, which aroused by curiosity enough to click

The link is a story from the Australian Museum featuring a photo and information about an ancient rock carving of a curious animal (I saw them myself on previous trips down under!) called an Echidna.

(sadly noting the photo is copyrighted)

You learn something about the method of these carvings, and somewhat mystery as they cannot be precisely dated, but suggests they are thousands of years old. Why might people want to preserve this image in stone?

I also note from the Mastodon post the tag MonotremeMonday from an account that belongs to a PhD zoologist “exploring animal iconography via intersections of natural history with art & visual culture history.”

And thus one more curiosity link takes me to Wikipedia to better understand what Monotremes are (an exercise left for you, dear reader).

Despite the state of the web these days, it is these small and interesting links that continue ti inspire, and inform me.

So what are you seeing or finding that is of relevance or from Australia? What draws you to click and learn more?

Again this is my attempt (a) to draw people here in OEG Connect to reply and (b) to help demonstrate how simple an activity can be to share here in the OEGlobal 2024 Interaction Zone..

If you read this, please reply via the blue button below, let us know you are out there!

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Echidnas are the most adorably awkward creatures that always seem to be just trying to go about their day quietly while bumbling around wearing a cumbersome backpack. You could almost hear them muttering to themselves about small inconveniences :joy:

We had one wander right up to the doorstep of my mother’s suburban house once. There was a creek and natural reserve around a kilometre or so away, but that’s a long walk for such a little guy!

Platypuses are also monotremes, and another super cute (and secretly spiky) creature. They also have the best baby names: platypup and puggle! :heart_eyes:

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Welcome to OEG Connect, Ash, thanks for jumping in with local knowledge. If I recall Echidna are not quite threatening? I understand they can live a long time?

And oh what fun to have with the word “platypup”.

Once I had an opportunity to try and hold a baby wombat- I lasted about 10 seconds, they are strong!

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Echidnas aren’t threatening at all. Very spiky, but non-threatening. They just amble about adorably and we just keep our careful distance so as not to get spiked.

Wombats are also adorable, and can be fierce when in protection mode (they have super hard butts which they are not afraid to use!). They have awesome networks of underground tunnels/burrows and other animals often use these as shelter.