Editing Echidna (section)

==Threats==
Echidnas are very timid. When frightened, they attempt to partially bury themselves and curl into a ball similar to a [[hedgehog]]. Strong front arms allow echidnas to dig in and hold fast against a predator pulling them from the hole.

Their many predators include [[Cats in Australia#Feral cats|feral cats]], [[Feral foxes in Australia|foxes]], [[Free-ranging dog|domestic dogs]], and [[goannas]]. Snakes pose a large threat when they slither into echidna burrows and prey on the spineless young puggles.

They are easily stressed and injured by handling. Some ways to help echidnas include picking up litter, causing less pollution, planting vegetation for shelter, supervising pets, reporting hurt echidnas, and leaving them undisturbed.<ref name="NSW"/>

In June 2024, scientists reported a first-of-its-kind encounter when they witnessed a tiger shark regurgitating a whole echidna off the cost of an island near Australia. Sharks are known to eat a wide range of animals, and occasionally objects, according to a news release by the researchers from James Cook University in North Queensland who also noted that sharks had previously been observed eating rocks for no apparent reason.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Orie |first=Amarachi |date=2024-06-06 |title=Shark regurgitates whole echidna in shocking first sighting |url=https://www.cnn.com/2024/06/06/science/tiger-shark-regurgitates-echidna-intl-scli-scn/index.html |access-date=2025-02-03 |website=CNN |language=en}}</ref>