Awesome Animal: The Platypus

There is no collective noun for platypuses, they are solitary animals

The males pack some serious heat

The male platypus has a spur on either hind foot that excretes venom. Though females are also born with the spurs, they fall off before adulthood. The venom can kill a small animal or incapacitate a human.

The female has no nipples

The platypus does not suckle its young like other mammals do. It does not have nipples, but it exudes milk from specialized sweat glands on its stomach. And yes the person holding the platypus is wearing a gold chain. 

    When scientists first saw the platypus they thought it was a joke 

My favorite platypus story ever….

In 1943, Winston Churchill requested David Fleay send him six live platypuses from Australia. Fleay, knowing how difficult it was for his animals to travel, settled on sending just one. Named “Winston”, he was placed in a platypusary specially designed to handle the long sea voyage on the MV Port Phillip, along with a huge supply of his favourite food. Remarkably, Winston was thriving on the ship until it was forced to launch a depth charge against a submarine. The nerve receptors in his highly sensitive bill could not cope with the violent explosion, and he died. Winston did make it to England, but the British Prime Minister had to settle for his new pet being mounted on his desk.

And of course then there is Perry

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