Platypus and its Predators and Humans

The platypus is very hard to find and is totally protected by the law.  A male platypus has a spur on its back leg which he uses for jabbing enemies.  A jab from the spur can kill an animal as big as a dog.  It will not kill humans, but can cause lots of pain. 

The biggest threat to Platypus is loosing their habitat as man clears land and also pollutes the rivers and lakes.  The Platypus predators are snakes, water rats, goannas and foxes which man has brought in.

What is a Platypus?

It’s a furry swimming animal, it has a bill ike a duck’s and has webbed feet.  It belongs to a very unusual type of mammal. Most mammals give birth to live babies which feed on their mother’s milk. The platypus is one of the few mammals that lay eggs and feed their babies milk. The only other mammal that lays eggs is the echidna which is also found in Australia.

Where does the platypus live?

The platypus lives in fresh water rivers and lakes in Eastern Australia, Tasmania and New Guinea.

How Long is a Platypus

The platypus can grow up to 60 centimeters long. Its average length is 35-45 cm. and can weigh up to 2 kilograms

Diet

The platypus eats crayfish, worms and other small water animals from the river bed.  While it looks for its food it shuts its eyes, ears and nostrils to keep out the water. For finding pray it uses its very sensitive soft leathery bill. The platypus stores its food in its cheeks until they are full, then it swims to the top to chew and swallow its food.

How does a Platypus have its young?

The female lays two or three eggs in a burrow, with the walls covered in grass.  The babies are born after about 2 weeks.  The newborn babies are born blind and they have no fur.  They suck on there mothers milk for three to four months.  When their mother goes to get food the babies stay in the burrow.