An extremely rare albino echidna – affectionally named Mr Spike by his rescuers – has been found, saved and re-released back into the wild after being hit by a car.
After sustaining minor injuries to his spikes, the unique monotreme was placed into WIRES Wildlife Rescue care before being whisked to Albion Park Veterinary Hospital in NSW for treatment.
It was here that Dr Cindy Jarrett named the special white guy Mr Spike before clearing him to be placed back into bushland after several days of gentle rehab.
A lack of melanin makes this adorable little creature albino and particularly rare, with only a handful of the mammals ever sighted in the country.
Echidnas have been around for about 50 million years but are considered quite mysterious by researchers and scientists, often burrowing into the ground or moving at a hasty speed of 2.3 kilometres per hour.
Local and overseas travellers alike know just how special it is to spot an echidna in the wild – so imagine how amazing it must have been to stumble across Mr White, and then be able to help him safely return to his home.
Image: WIRES
This article first appeared on OverSixty.