Bindi Irwin’s Obsession: Quirky Animal Makes Its Way Into ‘Crocodile Hunter’ Daughter’s Heart, But What Is It?

What is the latest Bindi Irwin obsession the Crocodile Hunter daughter is raving about? People know that when it comes to this teen, her obsessions are often animal-related, and that is the case once again. Though she’s been around a variety of exotic animals all her life, it seems that her current favorite is a bit of an unusual one.

Apparently, Bindi Irwin’s obsession these days is the echidna, a type of animal many have never even heard of before. As People shares, the echidna is also known as a spiny anteater, and Irwin readily admits she’s quite taken with them.

Irwin describes the echidna as “kind of like a porcupine – a blob covered in spikes with backwards-facing feet and a really long nose.” They are a mammal, and they happen to lay eggs rather than give birth to live babies. That means the echidna is one of only two animals in the world that fall into that category, with a platypus being the other.

Bindi, her mom, and her brother continue to live at and take care of the Australia Zoo, a wildlife conservation facility started by Terri Irwin and her late husband, Crocodile Hunter star Steve Irwin. Bindi, brother Robert, and mom Terri are around animals all the time, and the teen says that she loves snakes and crocodiles, as she’s been around them all her life. However, Bindi Irwin’s obsession for now is the spiky critter that she says is impossible not to love.

Indeed, Irwin has been posting about the echidna on her Instagram page, with one named “Little Foot” getting a recent feature. Bindi calls Little Foot a gorgeous echidna and shares that this little one is currently being treated at the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital. She says they’re her favorite animals, and she’s definitely leading her fans to want to know more about them.

Upon learning more, it’s easy to see why the echidna is so fascinating. As Wired details, the animal is spiny like a porcupine, has a beak like a bird, lays eggs like a reptile, and even has a pouch similar to that of a kangaroo. They are quite small, usually weighing between 4 and 10 pounds, and they are usually about a foot or so long.

The echidna typically lives for quite some time, reportedly up to 50 years when in captivity, and they have some very unique reproductive and mating qualities about them. This is one intriguing mammal, and many can see why they have become Bindi Irwin’s obsession. Fans know that this teen is all about family, friends and wildlife, and they can’t wait to see what she has to share next.

[Photo by Lisa Maree Williams / Getty Images, Bindi Irwin’s Instagram]