Description
The Australia Platypus is a very unique species. Platypuses are one of only 5 species of extant monotremes (the other 4 are echidnas) meaning they lay eggs, which is not normal for a mammal.
Platypuses are nocturnal and spend up to 12 hours each day hunting for food. And when they look for food underwater, they cover their eyes, nose and ears. They don’t have teeth so they scoop up grit and gravel from the river bed, come to the surface and then begin to chew by grinding the gravel and their pray together. Male platypuses have ankle spurs that deliver a venom that can severely hurt humans and kill smaller animals.
They are at risk of extinction and are listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
