There are platypus on Kangaroo Island, but these were brought there in an attempt to save animals people thought might become extinct. In the past, platypus lived in South Australia but they no longer do so. It has been seen in alpine lakes in Tasmania in the south, and north in Queensland as far as the Cape York Peninsula in tropical rain forest rivers. The map above shows this with dark purple. The platypus lives in small streams and rivers over a large area of eastern Australia. The monotremes are a mixture of primitive and advanced traits, a situation known as mosaic evolution. The monotremes share them with all other mammals. The long period as dependent young, the provision of milk, and the way the young learn through play, are all advanced features.
After four months they no longer need their mother's milk. At six weeks the babies have fur and are able to leave the burrow for short trips.
#DUCK BILLED PLATYPUS FACTS SKIN#
The young platypus drinks the milk from the mother's skin while she lies on her back. The platypus does not have nipples, but milk comes through small openings in the skin. The mother makes milk for the new babies. When the babies come out of the eggs after about ten days, they hold on to the mother. At the end of the tunnel, she builds a nest out of reeds for her eggs. She blocks the tunnel with earth at several places. When a female platypus is pregnant, the female makes much larger holes, up to 20 m (66 ft) long. It makes these holes in the river bank a little above the water. These holes are between 3 m (10 ft) and 8 m (26 ft) long. When on land, the platypus lives in burrows on the river banks.
These are adaptations to life in rivers where the water is opaque with sediment. The platypus can also hunt without using its eyes. It keeps its eyes shut when swimming, using only its other senses, such as hearing, touch and changes in the electrical field. The platypus can sense electricity from other animals. Its nose can sense many things that other noses cannot. It digs these animals out of the bottom of the river with its beak, or catches them while swimming. It eats worms, insect larvae, shrimps and yabbies, which are a kind of freshwater crayfish. The tail and back feet help it to turn left or right, but does not make it faster. When it swims, it pushes itself along by moving the front two feet. It is a very good swimmer and spends much of its time in the water. The platypus sleeps during the day, and moves mostly at night. The amount of poison increases during the breeding season. It will not kill humans, but the poison has been known to kill small animals, such as dogs, and cause pain lasting as long as four months. The male platypus has a sharp spine on his two back ankles called spurs which contain a venom. Males are about one-third (1/3) larger than females. Its tail can be from 10 cm (4 in) to 15 cm (6 in) long. Its body can be from 30 cm (12 in) to 40 cm (16 in) long. Adults can be less than 1 kg (2 lb) or up to 3 kg (7 lb). The larger platypus live in Tasmania while the smaller ones live in Queensland. The platypus is sometimes called "duck billed platypus" because of this nose. When the platypus moves on land, it walks on its knuckles so the webs on its feet will not get in the way. Unlike a beaver, it has no feet (no toes), which are good for swimming. The platypus looks similar to a beaver with a brown, furry body and wide, flat tail.
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