Platypus
The Platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) is a unique and bizarre mammal native to eastern Australia. It is a mammal that lays eggs, a feature it shares only with the echidna.
The Platypus has a duck-like bill, a beaver-like tail, and venomous spurs on its hind legs. It is a semi-aquatic species, spending a lot of time in and around rivers and streams.
Platypus
Classification
Mammalia > Monotremata > Ornithorhynchidae > Ornithorhynchus > O. anatinus
Native To
Conservation Status
Average Height
1.5 - 2 feet
(0.4 - 0.6 m)
Average Weight
2 - 5 lbs
(0.9 - 2.3 kg)
Average Life Span
10 - 15 years
Gestation Period
28 days
Did You Know?
The Platypus is one of only a few mammals that lay eggs instead of giving birth to live young.
Male Platypus have a venomous spur on their hind legs, which they can use for defense.
The Platypus has a unique bill that is soft and rubbery, filled with electroreceptors that help it detect prey underwater.
They are semi-aquatic animals, found in eastern Australia and Tasmania.
Platypus close their eyes, ears, and nostrils when they dive underwater, relying on their bill to navigate and find food.
They can stay submerged for several minutes at a time.
The Platypus is considered a living fossil due to its ancient and unique evolutionary features.
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