Thank you. I think the dirty nose spoils his beauty a little; but I find him utterly fascinating. I am glad he is not particularly sensitive, because all the visitors called him a hedgehog or a porcupine (I would have congratulated anyone who suggested a tenrec ). I kept directing them to the details on the exhibit's label.
Thank you. I prefer the shot I took a moment after this one, but I'm happy with both - except that I had to set the ISO higher than I like ideally.
ISIS says she is a he
Did you see them on the last episode of Richard Fortey's series about 'living fossils'? He showed a skull which had a big bulging braincase and talked to a specialist who enthused about their abilities. I don't think of termite specialists as showing much intelligence (you couldn't fit much brain into a giant anteater's skull) but perhaps echidnas are different
Thank you. I prefer the shot I took a moment after this one, but I'm happy with both - except that I had to set the ISO higher than I like ideally.
ISIS says she is a he
Did you see them on the last episode of Richard Fortey's series about 'living fossils'? He showed a skull which had a big bulging braincase and talked to a specialist who enthused about their abilities. I don't think of termite specialists as showing much intelligence (you couldn't fit much brain into a giant anteater's skull) but perhaps echidnas are different
The echidna is always a highlight of my visits to Paignton and I'm extremely impressed with this shot! On my last visit, he was curled up under the heat lamp and no-one other than me paid any attention, they were more interested in the red pandas! Bloody philistines...
While echidnas prefer termites (particularly larvae), I don't consider them termite specialists as they also feed on ants, earthworms, the larvae of beetles and moths and smallish beetles.
