Ever wondered where the concept of superheroes comes from? Let’s not get into the technicalities of it, but with this example, confess our liking for a multi-skilled being. Moreover, it’s time we don’t miss touching upon a real life wonder. It’s a mammal that lays eggs, has the bill of a duck, swims with webbed feet, and carries rudder like a beaver’s tail. Yes, you guessed that right. It’s indeed the duck billed platypus that has fascinated people since the eighteenth century. Let’s dive into their lives and find more about them with these platypus facts.
Up until now, a number of amazing facts about platypus have surfaced. All of which, one after the other, make people think unconventionally. Nature sometimes manifests unusually, and the case of duck platypus is one such case. Without further ado, let’s get to know what researchers have found out so far.
List Of Shocking Platypus Facts
1. One of Five Monotremes
For classification purposes, the animal kingdom is divided into eight hierarchical ranks. Order is the title given to the fourth or the fifth (because variations exist) rank in line. Interestingly, there exist only five mammals on Earth, which lay eggs yet produce milk for their offsprings. These mammals are scientifically identified as the Monotremes. And the unique order they’ve been grouped into, is called Monotremata. The duck billed platypus is one of the five species in this order.
2. Self Defense with Venomous Spurs
When mentioning amazing facts about platypus, it would be unfair to miss this one. The male and female platypuses may be different in many ways. However, the way in which they deal with threats makes them different too.
The adult female platypuses have something called the spur buds. But they fall off of their bodies before reaching a years’ time. This never functions as something the males use. In contrast, the adult male platypuses have more developed stingers on their hind feet. These are attached to venom secreting glands in their thighs. In the presence of competition during mating season, there’s added venom poured into these hollow stingers. Otherwise, the stingers become handy when defending against species of other kinds. So, the stingers make male platypus poisonous in nature.
3. Platypus Milk Oozes Like Sweat
Like other mammals, female platypuses feed their offspring with milk. Their mammary glands produce milk, but it doesn’t come out of nipples. That’s where more fun facts about platypus add up.
Let’s have a look at what’s happening here. So, it’s been noted that the platypus milk oozes out of its skin as sweat. And, collects into grooves on the skin. This is where the baby platypuses suck it from.
4. Platypuses Know Electroreception
When an animal can naturally detect electrical sources in its environment, it is said to have used the mechanism of electroception. Apart from a few exceptions, Amphibians and aquatic animals use it to detect other objects in the environment, especially when they can’t see.
Coming over to the topic of platypus facts, it is important to relate this system with the duck billed platypus. So yes, this mammal uses it. That too, because it resides in streams and rivers. And the water in these localities is murky. Additionally, we’re talking about a nocturnal animal i.e. one which actively hunts in the night.
5. Hunting Goes Around Riverbed
The food that the duck billed platypus consumes, lives in between rock bodies and with leaf litters under water. Such hiding spots are situated no where other than the river bed. Leaf litter is an accumulation of fallen leaves that decomposes in the given location. And this releases nutrients which are food to insects and small fish.
6. Swimming with a Natural Swimsuit
One of the interesting facts about platypus makes it relatable to human beings. It’s none other than its fur that resembles a typical swimsuit.
The fur of a duck billed platypus is two layered. Since the first layer is dense and velvety, air gets trapped close to the animals skin. The second layer helps protect the inner layer against water. So, the waterproof qualities come from the outer coating. And the insulation properties come from the inner coating.
In fact, the hair quality of both layers, being different, aids in the above mentioned ways. The first layer of fur has fine hair. Whereas, the other has long flattened hair.
7.Temporary Blindness Under Water is In Fact Helpful
As mentioned earlier, the duck platypus dives in murky water in search of food. Undoubtedly, murky water can irritate an organ as sensitive as eyes. But that’s not what happens in this case. The skin folds on this mammal’s body automatically cover its eyes as it jumps into water.
8. Cheek Pouches for Food Storage
If it is said that the platypus is a patient animal, it wouldn’t turn out as an inaccurate claim. In the world of facts about platypus, almost everything is imaginable. So, the animal does find food underwater. But keep it stored into its cheek pouches until it reaches the water surface or dry land. That is where the food is actually consumed.
9. Platypus Tale is Like a Camel’s Hump
There are some platypus facts which point towards its resemblance with other animals. Its tail presents one such case. Appearance wise, the tail looks like that of a beaver. However, it functions like the camel’s hump.
So, the tail stores fat. Which can be used by the body when food is scarce. Otherwise, the female platypuses are in need of such nutrients when preparing to breed.
10. Not Extinct, But Endangered
Among a multitude of other platypus facts, one fact goes beyond amazing. It’s that the animal is only found in Australia. But, there are regions in this country, like the Southern region, where the mammal has been marked as endangered.
Humans are involved in certain activities which have altered the environment at a global scale. Some of these activities contribute to making the platypus endangered. Littering in water bodies, urban development, land use for agriculture and fishing are some examples.
11. Absence of Teeth is Well Compensated
A duck and platypus are similar in some ways. The bill of a platypus and duck is something which is common in both. Rather, it’s not just similar in appearance, but in function also. This amazing thing adds up more to our list of platypus facts.
Since the animal has no teeth, it spoons out both food and pebbles through its bill. These two items are stored in its cheek pouches where it stays till ready to swallow. The pebbles alongside the food help churn the food as usual teeth can do.
12. No Muscular Sac as a Stomach
Except for the Monotremes, all mammals have a stomach. In simpler words, they have a sac in the middle of their digestive tract that secretes digestive enzymes and acids.
Delving deeper into interesting facts about the platypus, we come to know that its esophagus directly links with intestines.
13. Platypus Venom Isn’t Lethal for Humans
The spurs on the hind legs of the male do make platypus venomous. However, in humans, no deaths have been reported in response to this venom’s exposure. At the same time, add another point to your list of platypus facts. The fact that the pain one experiences after contact with this venom doesn’t go away with regular pain killers.
14. The Platypuses’ Bluish-Green Glow
There are many mammals, some birds and even reptiles which glow under ultraviolet light. Platypuses too, glow in a bluish-green color under this light. And the process is scientifically called biofluorescence. Scientists assume that the animal’s body is capable of doing this to help protect against predators.
15. They’re Called Living Fossils
Species which show much resemblance with their ancestors, are called living fossils. And it is through fossil records of their ancestors that scientists can compare both the generations.
It is amongst fun facts about platypus that this mammal appeared for the first time on Earth around 110 million years ago. Much of the dinosaur species were alive back then.
16. Superbugs Can be Treated with Platypus Milk
In today’s time, there are certain fungi and bacteria which have become resistant to medicinal interventions (including antibiotics). However, Australian scientists have discovered a possible solution with platypus milk. It has a protein which can fight off these superbugs. In contrast, where we find the platypus poisonous, it can help save lives also. This can be one of all the platypus facts which seems practically beneficial for humans.
17. Platypuses Experience REM Sleep
Sleep has been divided into four stages based on the brain activity that happens alongside. During the fourth stage of sleep, namely REM (Rapid Eye Movement stage), humans dream.
It has been noted by scientists that platypuses, like other mammals, experience REM. And they indulge in more REM than other adult mammals. However, if platypuses dream or not, is yet not part of facts about platypus.
18. Platypus’s Eye has Reptilian Features
Just like the platypus possesses other features from species outside of class Mammalia, its eyes resemble a reptilian eye feature. Reptiles have double cone cells in their retina. Similarly, a platypus has these cells. With them, their eyes can detect motion, luminosity and direction of light waves.
19. Platypus Survives Up to 24 Years in the Wild
A charity-based environmental organisation from Australia, has published a 2024 study on their website about a platypus’s lifespan. Interestingly, the provided information adds latest news to the realm of platypus facts. So, it is said that a platypus in the wild can survive for 24 years. Whereas, in the controlled environment of captivity, they live up to 30.
20. Female Platypus Build Nesting Chambers
The female platypus digs a new burrow each breeding season. It chooses margins of rivers or streams to dig along the burrows. Additionally, these burrows contain nesting chambers where the female curls around her eggs. And spends most of its time with young offsprings for almost 4 months.
Like platypus, there are other animals with some amazing attributes. Check out facts about sharks and see how their lives are no less surprising.
21. Platypuses Walk on Land
Amidst other platypus facts, this is one that explains how platypuses walk, but awkwardly on land. For instance, they fold backwards the webbing of their front feet. And attempt to walk on their knuckles. Also picture in mind a platypus walking on all fours. Furthermore, this posture doesn’t stop them from running.
22. The Platypus’s Bill Helps in Hunting
The skin cells of a platypus’s bill play a crucial role in hunting. They are specialized to detect both electrical and mechanical stimuli. Electrical fields are sensed from the muscles of a potential prey. Whereas, the bill’s mechanoreceptors sense changes in water pressure and motion underwater.
23. Solitary Living and Shared Habitat
Amongst a list of interesting platypus facts, one fact goes about the social behavior of the platypus. A platypus is not only shy from humankind, but also spends its life solitarily.. However, it has been noted that it can share its habitat (waterbody) with a handful of other platypuses.
25. A Gestation Period of 21 Days
Where other mammals give birth after gestation, a female platypus lays eggs. Mating is followed by 21 days of gestation period for a female platypus. After that, it lays up to 3 eggs. Furthermore, the eggs are incubated for another 10 days.
26. Spring Season Is Breeding Season
The animal’s breeding season can’t be left out when noting down platypus facts. The breeding season for platypus varies according to the different habitat sites across Australia. However, in general, the time frame is marked from August till October. And this is the spring season in Australia.
27. The World’s Oldest Platypus In His Twenties
The longest expected lifespan of a platypus is expected to exhibit in controlled laboratory environments. Yet, researchers have discovered a 24 years old male platypus in the suburbs of Melbourne. That too in the wild, back in 2023. It is said that this is the oldest platypus ever to be found in a free environment.
28. A Platypus Can’t be Legally Domesticated
This fact can be of interest to pet keepers from amongst other platypus facts. It is legally banned in Australia to domesticate a platypus. If this somehow happens, the offender can be charged with a significant fine. And can also face prison terms.
29. Platypuses Were Hunted in the Early Twentieth Century
Platypuses have been hunted in history, up until the beginning of the twentieth century. This was mainly done for the animal’s fur. As per statistics, 2,356 platypus pelts were sold in the markets of Sydney, each year till 1890s. This was some people’s sole income source. As lap rugs and outerwear were made from it. However, a legal prohibition of platypus hunting in 1912, put an end to this.
30. Body Temperature, Slightly Lower than Ours
Like humans, platypuses are also warm blooded mammals. But they can sustain their body temperature by 32°C. So, it can be said that their body temperature falls slightly lower than humans (which is 37°C).
31. Platypus Babies are Even Cuter
To some people, the adult platypus might seem adorable. But the platypus babies are genuinely considered cuter. These babies are called puggles. Puggles are equal to the size of a chad bean. And have underdeveloped limbs, soft hair and tiny eyes. So, there’s no doubt in the fact that their appearance makes them stand out.
32. Platypuses Do Vocalize
The chances of watching a platypus vocalize in the wild are less due to its shy nature. Nonetheless, information has been gathered on this subject through platypuses in captivation. This has opened doors for more platypus facts.
Under observation, it has been noticed that platypuses make growling sounds when handled and in distress. Furthermore, its sounds in distress resemble that of a puppy. All in all, such vocalization has been called no less than adorable.
33. Only One Excretory Opening
As has been mentioned before, the duck-billed platypus belongs to the scientific order of Monotremeta. This term in essence means ‘one hole’. And further helps explain the fact that this mammal has only one excretory opening. In short, the platypus has one outlet for digestive and reproductive discharge.
Concluding Platypus Facts
The natural world has room for unimaginable phenomena and creatures. Such is the case with the duck-billed platypus. The more one delves into exploring platypus facts, the more interesting it seems. Although there’s still space for more research on the subject, what’s known about this mammal is still mind boggling.
