Platypus

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

The platypus is a small, semi-aquatic mammal that lives in Australia. The platypus has an appearance similar to that of the beaver, with a brown furry body and tail, but has webbed feet and a soft, rubbery snout that resembles the wide bill of a duck. Because of this it is frequently called the duckbilled platypus. The normal weight of the platypus is in the range of approximately 1 to 3 kilograms (2 to 6 pounds). Platypuses are between 40 cm and 60 cm in length (15 to 23 inches), and female platypuses are generally shorter than male ones.

The platypus is a monotreme, one of the very few mammals that lay eggs and hatch them instead of giving birth to live young. Its species name is Ornithorhynchus anatinus. The Latin name ornithorhynchus literally means "bird nose". The common name "platypus" was originally given to it as a Linnaean taxonomy genus name, but was discovered to already belong to an obscure invertebrate, a type of beetle.

The platypus is a semi-aquatic animal, inhabiting small streams and rivers. It is an excellent swimmer and spends much of its time in the water. It keeps its eyes tightly shut when swimming, relying completely on its other senses. All four feet of the platypus are webbed. When it swims, it propels itself by paddling with the front two feet. The tail and hind feet assist in steering but not propulsion.

The platypus is a carnivore. It feeds on worms and insect larvae, shrimp, and small crayfish that it digs out of the river bed with its snout or catches while swimming. Its bill is very sensitive, allowing it to hunt its food without using its eyesight. The platypus is the only mammal that has the sense of electroception: it locates its prey in part by detecting their body electricity.

The male platypus has venomous spurs on its ankles. The poison is not lethal to humans but produces excruciating pain and swelling that may last for several months! The venom can be lethal to dogs and smaller domestic animals, and the recommended way to pick a platypus up is to hold it firmly by the end of the tail (which does not harm the animal). However, interfering with Australian wildlife is illegal unless one has a permit for scientific research or is rescuing an injured animal, and it is recommended that observers not try to imitate The Crocodile Hunter and instead leave wild animals alone.

The platypus digs long tunnels, called burrows, in the river banks to nest. It fills its nest at the end of the tunnel with reeds for bedding material. When the female is ready to give birth, she blocks off the tunnel for protection.

As a monotreme, the platypus does not give birth to live young but instead lays eggs in its nest. When the eggs hatch, the small babies emerge and cling to the mother. Like other mammals, the mother produces milk for the new babies. The platypus does not have apparent external nipples, but excretes the milk through small openings in the skin. The young platypus sucks the milk up from the mother's belly while she is lying on her back.

When the platypus was first discovered by Europeans in the late 1700s, a pelt was sent back to Britain for examination by the scientific community. The British scientists were at first convinced that the seemingly-odd collection of physical attributes must be a hoax, produced by some Asian taxidermist.

Much of the world was introduced to the platypus in 1939 when National Geographic magazine published an article on the platypus and the efforts to study and raise it in captivity (a very difficult task, and only a few young have been successfully raised since). The main reference on the platypus today is The platypus - a unique mammal written by Tom Grant.

Whilst not a common sight, due to its aquatic, burrowing habits and dislike of populated areas, the platypus is not endangered according to Environment Australia, the federal government agency responsible for listing such species. Like most aquatic animals, they are quite sensitive to water pollution.

The platypus is extremely difficult to breed in captivity, and the only place where they have successfully bred is Healesville Sanctuary in Victoria.

Larger platypus image