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Platypus
By Lexi Wixom
What animal has velvety fur, a duck-like beak, webbed hands and feet and mostly lives in
water? What do you think? Read on to find out!!
This amazing creation of God, the platypus, was first seen in 1797. It was found in
Australia and was thought to be a mixture of a reptile, bird and a furred animal. With the
nickname the “watermole” the platypus only has a short time to hunt for food. It can only
stay under water for one to two minutes. When it goes under, its eyes and ears shut tight
so the water can’t get in. It then resurfaces to get a breath and chew its food. When the
platypus is above water, its senses are alert. It can detect food by the receptors in its
beak. It picks up the electric fields of what it is hunting when his prey is under mug or
rocks.
This creature is not a mammal, but a montreme. It lays eggs, but it does not have any
nipples; A mother’s babies suck the clumps of her hair instead. She has glands that
supply the milk in her fur.
A mother usually lays eggs in pairs. It’s rare that you see a mother platypus lay one or
three eggs. If a mother platypus lays three, they are always connected in a triangle. The
mother will then stay in her burrow until the babies hatch. When they are old enough, the
young platypuses will go out into the world you live their 10 to 15 year life span!
By Lexi Wixom
What animal has velvety fur, a duck-like beak, webbed hands and feet and mostly lives in
water? What do you think? Read on to find out!!
This amazing creation of God, the platypus, was first seen in 1797. It was found in
Australia and was thought to be a mixture of a reptile, bird and a furred animal. With the
nickname the “watermole” the platypus only has a short time to hunt for food. It can only
stay under water for one to two minutes. When it goes under, its eyes and ears shut tight
so the water can’t get in. It then resurfaces to get a breath and chew its food. When the
platypus is above water, its senses are alert. It can detect food by the receptors in its
beak. It picks up the electric fields of what it is hunting when his prey is under mug or
rocks.
This creature is not a mammal, but a montreme. It lays eggs, but it does not have any
nipples; A mother’s babies suck the clumps of her hair instead. She has glands that
supply the milk in her fur.
A mother usually lays eggs in pairs. It’s rare that you see a mother platypus lay one or
three eggs. If a mother platypus lays three, they are always connected in a triangle. The
mother will then stay in her burrow until the babies hatch. When they are old enough, the
young platypuses will go out into the world you live their 10 to 15 year life span!
