A year ago, keepers made a discovery they could barely believe. Today, the Australian Reptile Park's first ever echidna puggle is blowing out the candles.
Most people will go their entire lives without ever seeing an echidna puggle. The keepers at the Australian Reptile Park get to watch one grow up — and this week, they got to bake one a birthday cake.
Piggle, the first echidna puggle ever hatched at the Australian Reptile Park, has officially turned one, marking a year since the Park made history with one of the most extraordinary animal discoveries in its story.
"It was a year ago today that we had the amazing discovery of a little echidna puggle inside Jon's pouch. Could not be prouder of the team and the husbandry efforts that made this amazing opportunity possible," said Seleena De Gelder, Head Mammals Keeper.
To mark the occasion, keepers surprised Piggle with a very special birthday cake crafted from their absolute favourite food: termites. Piggle was understandably cautious at first — a birthday cake is not an everyday occurrence, even at the Australian Reptile Park — but after a tentative sniff, they came in for more.
"This might be the very first cake ever made for an echidna, and they loved it," said Seleena.
The story of Piggle's first year has been anything but ordinary. It began when echidna mum Jon Snow, named before keepers confirmed she was female, started losing weight and refusing meals. A vet checkup at Somersby Animal Hospital revealed an extraordinary surprise: a jellybean-sized echidna puggle tucked safely inside her pouch. The discovery made headlines around the world.
Breeding echidnas in captivity is notoriously difficult. Echidnas are one of only two egg-laying mammals on earth, alongside the platypus, and their reproductive behaviour in zoo settings is rarely observed, let alone successfully supported. The fact that Piggle is here at all is a testament to the care and skill of the team around them.
At one year old, Piggle is thriving and fully independent from mum Jon, their personality growing a little more with every passing day.
"Piggle's personality is really shining through. They're super confident, they always come over to say hello, and they've always got to check out what we're doing inside their yard," said Seleena.
Piggle is not the only one celebrating. A second echidna puggle named Puddin is due to turn one next month, and managed to sneak in a few licks of Piggle's birthday cake along the way.
"Puddin will turn one next month. They're also hitting every milestone alongside Piggle, and they got to celebrate their birthday sneaking in a few licks of Piggle's birthday cake," said Seleena.
For the keeper who has watched Piggle grow from a tiny pink hatchling into a fully fledged echidna, the first birthday is a moment to savour. As Seleena put it best:
"Happy first birthday, Piggle. You've earned every termite."
Come and meet Piggle and Puddin at the Australian Reptile Park in Somersby on the Central Coast, just one hour from Sydney or Newcastle.