An Unusual Animal - the Platypus

The platypus is an animal which still can’t be properly classified by humans. Platypi have a dense fur similar to a beaver’s fur, which insulates better than a polar bear’s fur. They have a thick tail, webs between the toes and most strikingly, a rubber-like bill.

The platypus is a mammal, but it differs clearly from other mammals that it has no teats (so it does not suckle), but lays eggs, possesses a shoulder girdle and that the sexual organs look like those of reptiles.

They live amphibiously and feed on insect larvae, freshwater shrimp and worms. The platypus closes its eyes and ears under water, but is still able to locate its prey easily - with its electric sense. The only other animals that possess this sense are sharks and rays. This means, the platypus can perceive minimal electrical tensions that are caused by muscle activities.

The webs can be retracted on land, and claws appear instead, which are a great help for digging dens.

Platypi are dangerous. They are the sole mammals with a poisonous sting, whose poison kills cats and dogs and causes humans a lot of pain. The poisonous sting serves the purpose to defend the breeding-ground against creatures of the same species.

Platypi are genii in surviving. Since their discovery 200 years ago, their numbers have actually not diminished. However, the latest theories state that the platypus becomes smaller and more primitive in the course of millenniums, which is in contrast to the theory of evolution. Nevertheless, the platypus can be regarded as a model for a stage of development of mammals.