Now I know the die hard Wild Fact fans will realize that we have already talked about the Duck-Billed Platypus when the website was first starting up.  There are two very good reasons why we are revisiting this awesome animal.  The first time around all we really looked at was the electrical impulses their bill produces to locate their prey.  Today’s post will look at some other unique features of this creature.  Oh and the second reason we are doing a repeat Wild Fact – the Platypus is an awesome creature and one of my favourites so I have been dying to write about them again.  So grab your coffee and enjoy the Platypus 2.0.  If you are interested, the first Wild Fact on this animal can be found at http://www.wild-facts.com/wild-fact-996-the-prey-always-gets-stuck-with-the-bill/.

So let’s jump right into the Platypus 2.0 by describing the unique appearance of this creature.  What is so unique about them you ask?  Let’s see, if you were to take a bunch of different animals and blended them all together, you would have a Duck-Billed Platypus.  For starters they lay eggs, their feet are similar to an Otter, their bill is obviously duck-like in fashion, they have a tail like a beaver and finally their feet our webbed like an aquatic bird.  They are so unique in appearance that early discoverers had a difficult time convincing people that the Platypus was a real animal.

To make this animal even more interesting is the fact that they are venomous.  The males have a spur on their back foot which can cause severe pain if you were unfortunate enough to get pricked.  The purpose of this little poisonous spike is mainly for self-defense but scientists have noted that the amount of venom increases during mating season.  This leads us to believe that it is also a status symbol.  It seems that the males of every animal species has some unique way of showing they are better than their competition.  Humans may not use poison to show off but I would like to see a Platypus drive a BMW to impress the ladies.

Duck-Billed Platypus Fast Fact – When they are not in mating season, the Duck-Billed Platypus will live in burrows.  And when they are not burrowing it up they can be found hunting in the water.  In fact, they literally spend half of their day in the water.  I wonder if their feet and hands get all wrinkly?

That does it for Platypus 2.0!  I hope you enjoyed the second version of this Wild Fact.  Have a great weekend everyone!