What weird-looking creature has a bill like a duck, a
beaver-like tail, and clawed webbed feet like an otter? A space
alien? Nope, a platypus. This mixed-up mammal lives in burrows
on the edges of rivers, streams and lakes in Australia and the
nearby island of Tasmania.
The Platypus is a great swimmer. It paddles with its front feet and steers with both its
back feet and tail. It also uses its tail to store fat for nourishment when food is scarce.
When a platypus swims underwater it doesn't use its eyes to see where it's going.
Instead it keeps its eyes, ears and nose shut so no water gets in! But then how does it find
food? Well, it uses special sensory organs called electro-receptors that are located on its
bill-like snout. These receptors sense movement from prey. The platypus scoops up insects,
shrimp, worms and other small water animals. Then it carries this dinner up to the surface in
its cheek pouches.
Since an adult platypus has a bill like a duck, it has no teeth. So how does it chew? By
grinding the food between horny plates on its upper and lower jaws.
But we're still not finished with this animal's oddities. You see, the platypus is one of
only two mammals that lay eggs. The other is the echidna or spiny anteater. Both of these
egg-laying mammals are called monotremes. Platypus eggs aren't hard-shelled like bird
eggs. Instead they are soft and leathery like reptile eggs. When they hatch the babies get
nourishment by licking milk that oozes from glands in their mother's body.
Another oddity about the platypus is the venom released through spurs on their back
ankles. Only male platypuses have this venom. The venom is strong enough to kill an animal
as large as a dog. It is believed males use their spurs when competing with other males for
mates. The spurs might also help a male platypus defend itself against predators such as
foxes, water rats, hawks, owls and snakes.
What weird-looking creature has a bill like a duck, abeaver-like tail, and clawed webbed feet like an otter? A spacealien? Nope, a platypus. This mixed-up mammal lives in burrowson the edges of rivers, streams and lakes in Australia and thenearby island of Tasmania.The Platypus is a great swimmer. It paddles with its front feet and steers with both itsback feet and tail. It also uses its tail to store fat for nourishment when food is scarce.When a platypus swims underwater it doesn't use its eyes to see where it's going.Instead it keeps its eyes, ears and nose shut so no water gets in! But then how does it findfood? Well, it uses special sensory organs called electro-receptors that are located on itsbill-like snout. These receptors sense movement from prey. The platypus scoops up insects,shrimp, worms and other small water animals. Then it carries this dinner up to the surface inits cheek pouches.Since an adult platypus has a bill like a duck, it has no teeth. So how does it chew? Bygrinding the food between horny plates on its upper and lower jaws.But we're still not finished with this animal's oddities. You see, the platypus is one ofonly two mammals that lay eggs. The other is the echidna or spiny anteater. Both of theseegg-laying mammals are called monotremes. Platypus eggs aren't hard-shelled like birdeggs. Instead they are soft and leathery like reptile eggs. When they hatch the babies getnourishment by licking milk that oozes from glands in their mother's body.
Another oddity about the platypus is the venom released through spurs on their back
ankles. Only male platypuses have this venom. The venom is strong enough to kill an animal
as large as a dog. It is believed males use their spurs when competing with other males for
mates. The spurs might also help a male platypus defend itself against predators such as
foxes, water rats, hawks, owls and snakes.
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