Male platypuses can have multiple mating partners in their lifetime. There are a few outliers that mate outside this timeframe across different populations in different locations. Platypuses are seasonal breeders and they mate between the months of June and October every year. When muscles in their prey contract, they create a magnetic field which is picked up by the platypus’ bill. Their hunting technique is very intriguing since rather than using their sense of smell or sight, they use their bills for electrolocation, a phenomenon only seen in dolphins. They need to consume 20% of their weight every day and this is why they spend many hours in the water. They are carnivorous in nature and they feed on creatures like worms, freshwater shrimp, insect larvae, dragonflies, trout eggs, frog eggs, tadpoles, mussels, small frogs and other small vertebrates. They have a life expectancy of about 10 years in the wild and 17 years in captivity.The venom produced by males’ spurs is not enough to kill humans but is painful and strong enough to damage limbs permanently.They are scientifically referred to as Ornithorhynchus anatinus.The webs between their feet fold when they are on land to enable them to walk, albeit awkwardly, and to burrow through the earth.Use of fishing nets, climate change, construction of dams, chemical spillage in rivers among other activities affect their natural habitats. ![]() Although many animals prey on them, their greatest threat is human activity.Their tails store 50% of their body as a source of energy when food is scarce.The platypus’ conservation status is listed as least concern because they don’t appear to have any immediate threats on the number of their population. ![]() They can live on both land and water, but spend 30% more energy while moving on land than in water.A fossil jaw of this species suggests that they may have existed as far back as 110 million years ago.Platypus Facts For Kids and Information : Here is a detailed description of this unique species. Interestingly, people who were first introduced to a preserved body of this creature assumed that they were being pranked. ![]() At a glance, they don’t look much attractive and they in fact look like a badger with bits from other animals attached to it. Platypus is often referred to as the duck-billed platypus because its bill resembles that of a duck.
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