Platypuses are fascinating, funny-looking creatures of the land and water. They live in small rivers and streams and the surrounding land. Most of their time is spent in the water, but they can also be found chilling in burrows they dig on river banks, which is also where they raise their young until they're ready to learn to swim. They really "dig" those burrows. When the platypus was first discovered a long time ago, people didn't believe it existed. Back then it was common for people to make up animals, so people thought that someone just made up the duck-billed platypus and tried to convince people it was a real animal. Now we have proof they exist, so here are some interesting facts about them.
1. They have electro-sensitive bills
One shocking fact about platypuses is that in order to survive and hunt for food, they turn off their senses of sight, hearing, and smell, and instead find prey by picking up electrical signals through their bill.
2. They are all secret agents
But no one can tell -- they're just that good. Be extra careful of what you do when a platypus is around.
3. They're semi-aquatic
However, they are much more coordinated in the water. When traveling on land they wobble around awkwardly but adorably with their legs flopping around. Their little feet at the end of their stubby legs are webbed, making them efficient swimmers and divers. On land, however, they practically have to walk on their knuckles because of this, resulting in them looking ridiculous on land.
4. They're one of the few species of mammals to lay eggs
They are a mixture of a beaver, a duck, and who knows what else, so I suppose their laying eggs goes with the duck persona. But really why do they lay eggs if they are mammals? To find out we must dive deeper into the science of platypuses. It is simply because that is how they developed. Since they are mammals, they produce milk for their young; however, they don't have nipples. So how do the baby platypuses drink their milk? The milk comes out of the mom's pores, and the babies lick the milk off of grooves on the mom's abdomen.
5. They're venomous
The males have venomous spurs on their ankles, and the venom's purpose is speculated to be for mating season. When more than one platypus wants a girl platypus, they just poison each other and whoever lives gets the girl. It's a good thing humans don't do that ... although some might. I say the girl should be able to make her own decision, but that is just how the platypus does it.
6. The plural for platypus is not platypi -- it's platypuses
Know-it-alls can chill out because the plural of platypus in every dictionary and scientific report is "platypuses," not the fancier option "platypi." The red squiggly under "platypi" is kind of distracting me from writing this article. However, it doesn't really matter if you want to say platypi or not; just don't tell other people they are wrong when they say platypuses, because they're not.
There you have it, some fascinating facts about one of the strangest animals to roam the earth. Chances are, you are not likely to run into a platypus unless you live in eastern Australia or Tasmania, but they are still fun to learn about nonetheless.
