When lost in a busy railway station, it’s best to consult a map or ask for directions. But when you’re a small wild animal, finding your way home isn’t that simple.
Recently, commuters in Adelaide, Australia, were perplexed when they spotted an echidna bumbling along the platform as if going about her evening commute.
Railway workers safely contained the little echidna and brought her to the Adelaide Koala & Wildlife Centre.
“Their quick actions saved [her] from being injured on the rail tracks,” Annie Carmichael, clinic coordinator at the center, told The Dodo.
The echidna was captured on a video, which you can watch here:
Clinic staff named the echidna Snoot and gave her a veterinary exam to ensure she was healthy and unharmed. After a thorough check, they concluded that Snoot was just fine.
Echidnas, also known as spiny anteaters, are native to Australia and easy to spot with their coats of sharp quills. Though echidnas are commonplace in the Australian wilderness, it’s certainly rare to notice one while waiting for your train.
Echidnas, like most wildlife, tend to avoid humans. Wildlife center staff were pleased to see that Snoot was eager to get back to the world beyond the center walls.
“Snoot was extremely lively and determined to escape and explore further, which was a great sign for us that she was well and unharmed,” Carmichael said.
Once cleared by a veterinarian, Snoot was released at a safe location in the wilderness, where she quickly hopped into a burrow, thrilled to return to life outdoors.
Though Snoot’s travels began a bit perilously, thanks to help from many kind animal lovers, Snoot still managed to get exactly where she needed to go.