A prickly subject: innovative handling of a difficult prey

Abstract

Canids are generally considered to be ambush predators, but in island ecosystems adaptability and flexibility are essential for survival. Dingoes (Canis lupus dingo) attack and kill their prey in a variety of ways including utilising waterbodies. Here I document the drowning of an adult short-beaked echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus) before consumption by a dingo using the coastal surf beach intertidal to shallow subtidal area on the eastern coast of Fraser Island (K’gari), highlighting an innovative prey-handling technique.