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Platypus

Ornithorhynchus anatinus

What On Earth?: The platypus has been held responsible for sailors believing in the existence of a half-woman, half-fish creature, better known as a mermaid. One glance at this semiaquatic creature with a duck-shaped mouth, beaver tail, stubby webbed feet and fur like a mole and it's hard to believe that the sailors weren't drunk.

Starting to Make Sense: Swimming in the waters off the coasts of Australia and Tasmania, the strange, disconnected body parts of the platypus seem to make sense. The plum-colored fur with a texture amazingly like that of a mole is waterproof, and the duck-like bill is sensitive to touch and to the electrical signals generated from its aquatic prey.

An Egg-Laying Mammal?: A monotreme, or mammal that lays eggs, the platypus will lay one to two eggs each season. The incubation period for the leathery-shelled eggs is quick. After only a month of gestation and 10 days of keeping the new eggs warm, the tiny platypuses emerge from their shells. In a burrow the mother will take care of the young for three to four months, at times leaving them alone for as long as 38 hours while she searches for food.

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FACTS: More Platypus Facts

DID YOU KNOW?

Packing Venom: The male platypus has a spur on its heel capable of delvering a cocktail of venom. The platypus is one of the few venomous mammals.
Rowing, Not Swimming: The platypus uses its two front feet to propel itself forward in a unique, alternate rowing motion. Its hind feet, also webbed, are held against the body and — along with the tail — are used for steering.