Platypus
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Platypus Facts

A four legged Australian egg laying mammal with webbed feet, furry body, broad tail and a wide leathery bill which lives on land but spends most of its time in water.

Bills like ducks, fur like mammals, lay eggs like birds, but feed like fish.

Size 40cm to 55cm and 700 grams to 2 Kg. Females are much smaller than males.

Swims with eyes, ears and nostrils shut, propelling itself with its forefeet, and using its hindfeet for brakes and steering.

When on land, the platypus turns back the webs on its front feet to reveal broad nails.

Feeds on shrimps, worms, insect lavae and small aquatic creatures which it locates by electric signals from their bodies with sensors on its bill.
 

Platypus

They mate in the water. Then on land the female digs a breeding burrow up to 20 metres long.

She lays two soft eggs, about 17mm long which she incubates between her abdomen and tail for two weeks. The young suck milk from patches on her abdomen.

Scientific Classification :

The platypus makes up the family Ornithorhynchidae, in the order Monotremata (Monotremes in the Class of Mammals). The scientific name for the Platypus is Ornithorhynchus anatinus, which means bird-snout and its common name Platypus refers to its webbed feet.

The Platypus design is uniquely Australian.

Platypus
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