Platypus

An animal with a beak, fur and webbed-feet that also lays eggs and secretes venom? Meet platypus, The king of weirdos!

JohnCarnemolla

When scientists first examined a specimen of platypus, they literally thought that they were the victims of some sort of a joke. It looked like that someone made a hotchpotch of duck, beaver and otter to irritate them. But reality is that evaluation has endowed them with all of these characteristics to help them survive their aquatic lifestyle.

Their bill is covered with thousands of receptors that help them to navigate and detect tiny movements of potential prey in the murky waters they reside in. Their webbed-feet help them swim and they use the venom to defend themselves when in trouble. Talk about the wonders of nature!

Distribution

Country
Population est.
Status
Year
Comments
Australia
300,000
NT
2014

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Terrestrial / Aquatic

Altricial / Precocial

Polygamous / Monogamous

Dimorphic (size) / Monomorphic

Active: Diurnal / Nocturnal

Social behavior: Solitary / Pack / Herd

Diet: Carnivore / Herbivore / Omnivore / Piscivorous / Insectivore

Migratory: Yes / No

Domesticated: Yes / No

Dangerous: Yes / No