1. Platypus
Made by Mrs. Everham

2. NAME Duck Billed Platypus Kingdom-Animalia Phylum-Chordata
Class-Mammalia
Order-monotremata
Family-ornithorhynchidae
Genus-ornithorhynchidae
Species-ornithorhynchidae anatinus

3. APPEARANCE Length: 24 inches Height: 12 inches Weight: 1.5-5.5 pounds.
Color: Usually brown.

4. DIET Meat: Fresh water shrimp, worms, and some fish. No plants
Acquiring Food:
Searches for food from dawn to nearly sunset.
Fun fact:
Can consume its full body weight in just a 24 hour time period!

5. HABITAT Part of the World: Environment: Southern Australia
Australian fresh water lakes and
streams.
Nest is burrowed in the ground.

6. BEHAVIOR During the Day: Swimming Underground During Dusk:
Wallows around above ground
Temperament:
Platypuses are shy and wary.
Habits and unique behavior:
Sweeps its head from side to side to locate prey.
Underwater the platypus closes its eyes, ears, and nostrils.

7. DEFENSES Male platypus has a poisonous spur on each of it’s hind legs
Not lethal against humans, but is still very painful.
Female has these spurs, but they do not produce venom.

8. ENEMIES
Snakes
Water Rats
Monitor Lizards
Hawks
Owls
Eagles
Humans

9. SURVIVAL STATUS Produces Young: Lays 1-3 eggs at once
Eggs hatch about 28 days after mating
Endangered?:
Not currently considered to be endangered.
"Common but Vulnerable" in Australia.
Life Span:
4-5 years for male
6-8 years for female.

10. SOMETHING SPECIAL The platypus bill is rubbery and flexible.
Platypuses sweat milk
In the 1900’s platypuses were hunted for their fur.
They are the one of two mammals that lay eggs. (also the echidna)

11. SOMETHING SPECIAL Some Australians eat platypus
There is no plural word for platypus.
Some Australians eat platypus
It is still illegal to hunt the platypuses.

12. SOURCES http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Platypus
/mammals/platypus/
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