Camera Critters #8; Thorny Devil

He sure looks scary. All those spikes and thorns.

Although they are quite sharp to touch, the base of the spikes just push into his skin and the pointy ends don’t go into yours.

They sit in the middle of open spaces such as gravel roads to gather warmth and get quite defensive if their space is invaded – even if it is a large 4×4 which does the invading.

Approaching them on foot will cause them to rear up in mock attack and they only run, at the last moment, for just a couple of yards. Then you can scoop them up and show them off.

The colours seem to vary with the area, or maybe they change colours a little. I have never seen two which look exactly alike.

It is very nice if you return this scary critter to a safe place when you have finished admiring him.