Here are some facts about platypus.
- Platypus are small, semi-aquatic mammals that are native to parts of Australia. They are covered in thick, brown fur that is waterproof and works as an insulation layer to keep the animal warm.
- Platypus have webbed feet and a rubbery snout. Its webbed feet aid help it to swimming and they move really quickly through the water.
- The platypus has a diet that consists mainly of insects, larvae, small shellfish and worms. A platypus looses their teeth at a very young age leaving hard tips or pads. They use these hardened areas to mash their food before swallowing.
- Platypus belong to a species group known as monotremes, and it is one of the only mammals that lays eggs instead of giving birth to live young.
- Platypus feed their young through pores in the skin. They have mammary glands that secrete milk into grooves in the abdomen that allow the milk to pool making it possible for the young to lap it up.
- The female platypus has two ovaries. However, only the left one is functional.
- The eggs of a platypus are slightly rounder than a traditional bird egg. They are approximately 11 mm in diameter. Typically, the platypus will lay one to three eggs.
- They actually produce a poisonous venom. The male platypus has a spur on its hind foot that allows them to inject this venom into an unlucky victim. This toxin is powerful enough to cause pain and can even cause the death of a small animal.
- The platypus lives in freshwater. They construct their burrows along the water’s edge and can spend as many as 14 hours a day sleeping.
- Unlike most mammals, the platypus does not rely on its sense of smell or sight to find its food. Instead, they use receptors that are located in rows along the snout These receptors allow them to locate their prey through electroreception.
