JM-Duck-Billed-Platypus

= Title: Duck-Billed Platypus =

Scientific Name: //__Ornithorhynchus__//


===Physical description: It looks like an otter with a Beaver's tail and a Duck's bill. it has small eyes and no ear on the outside. The fur on it's back is thick and pointy and is reddish to darkish brown. When scientists first found this mammal, they thought it was a hoax. They thought someone had taken the body of an otter and sewn a beaver's tail and a ducks bill on it. === ===Size: The platypus' body length is around 17.7 inches. It's tail is about 5.9 inches, for a total of about 23 inches from bill to tail. The average weight of a platypus varies from 700grams(1.54 pounds) to 2.4kilograms(5.3 pounds). Males are larger than the females. === 

===Habitat: Platypus' lives in fresh water lakes and streams in Australia. If they're not in the water they spend most of their time in burrows. The burrows can be up to 30 meters long, maybe longer when the female is nursing her young, to protect it from predators and floods. === 

Range: Platypus' have only been found from Australia to some parts of South America
 ===Diet: They usually catch their food underwater. It scoops up everything from the bottom of the river and hopes to catch something edible. It stores most of it's food it catches in pouches in its cheeks. ===  ===Behavior & adaptations to its way of life: Some adaptions that it has is that its feet are webbed. Since it spends most of its time in the water the platypus will need it. Another swimming adaptation is its broad tail. The platypus can use it to propel forward. You can't really tell, but the platypus has 3 layers of fur. Inside layer keeps it warm and traps in air. Middle layer is like a wet suit. Third layer helps it feel things around it. The platypus is also Nocturnal, so it is more active at night. For protection male platypus have venomous spurs behind their legs. ===  ===How it reproduces:Platypus' are one of the 3 types of Monotremes. Monotremes are the ONLY mammals that lays eggs. The platypus will make a nest for it's eggs made out of grass and leaves. they will lay 2 to 3 eggs annually. The eggs are then incubated by the mother for about 13 days. Then the young platypus will be nursed by its mother for about 17 weeks. Then, they are ready to swim and be off on their own. ===


=== Relationship to other animals (predator/prey, parasite, etc.): Predators of platypus are spotted-tailed quoll, dingo, feral cat, monitor lizards, water rat, pythons, crocodile, eels other large fish, also some birds like owls. ===

===History: At first when scientists first discovered the platypus they thought it was fake. They thought someone had sewed a ducks bill and a beavers tail on a body of an otter. === <span style="color: rgb(255,109,0); background-color: rgb(0,255,0);"> ===<span style="color: rgb(255,109,0); background-color: rgb(0,255,0);">Status: Right now platypusow they are are not Endangered. But, some time ago they were prized for their fur. Now, they are protected by a strict law. Still, there are concerns regarding the platypus' enviornment and how people are destroying their homes. ===

<span style="color: rgb(255,109,0); background-color: rgb(0,255,0);">**//__Citations:__//** __**http://science.jrank.org/pages/5344/Platypus.html**__ __**<span style="color: rgb(255,109,0); background-color: rgb(0,255,0);">http://rainforest-australia.com/Platypus_page_2.htm [] **__ <span style="color: rgb(255,109,0); background-color: rgb(0,255,0);">
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