Video of an echidna going for a swim near Kyneton this week has delighted social media users. 

Peter Myroniuk was pumping dam water on his property when he heard an unsual sound from the waterhole. 

“I thought 'what's that',” he said, before spotting the short-beaked echidna splashing around.

It was the first time the wildlife rescue worker saw an echidna swim, though he knew they liked to take a dip during days with scorching temperatures.

But a moderate climate on New Year’s Eve led him to a different conclusion when asked why the animal was in the dam.

“I suspect it was looking for food items in there, worms perhaps,” Mr Myroniuk said.

Summer could be a stressful time for native fauna, he said, with many animals going in search of cooler climates and water sources.

Roadsides and nature strips proved popular places for them to graze and that put them in closer proximity to passing traffic.  

He recommended people leave out small sources of water from which animals could drink.

Deep dishes should have a stick inside to help smaller creatures get out. 

He was surprised the echidna video, shared almost 1500 times, attracted so much attention.

“I put it up there for education prurposes,” Mr Myroniuk said. 

“You don't see it every day.”