Is A Duck Billed Platypus A Mammal Or A Marsupial?
The duck billed platypus is a strange creature, for it is a mammal but lays eggs. It is one of Australia’s most bizarre looking animals and difficult to classify for a number of reasons: * is it a mammal because it produces milk * is it a reptile because it lays eggs * or is it an amphibian? Platypuses are amazing creatures that have thick set bodies covered in brown fur, short feet and a large duck-like bill which detects electrical impulses in the water and helps the platypus to find its prey. Adults are about 50 centimetres long and weigh in at around two to five kilos. The males have spurs on their hind legs which inject venom that can be fatal to some animals and agonisingly painful for larger ones. The platypus is an air breather, but it’s natural environment is the water. It is an excellent swimmer and moves with difficulty over land. The name platypus comes from Greek and means ‘flat feet’.
