Platypuses
By: Ji Sue Shin
Table of Contents I.Introduction II.Habitat III.Appearance/Bodies IV.Food V.Reproduction VI.Predators VII.Conclusion VIII.About the Author
Introduction Do you know what kind of animal the amazing platypus is? Platypuses are fascinating animals with very unique features that many other animals don’t have. Platypuses are the only mammals with venom, and one of the few rare mammals that lay eggs. In this book you will learn about its interesting habitats, appearance, prey, predators and reproduction.
Habitats This is a map showing where platypuses live.
Wild platypuses only live in eastern Australia and Tasmania. They live around riverbanks and lake shores. They dig burrows with an opening above the water, and the burrow is about 4.6- 18m (15-60ft) long. They mostly live in the same places for almost their whole lives, though things like droughts can cause them to move since they find most of their food in the water. Platypuses usually do not reproduce when they are taken out of their original habitat. Because it's so hard to find a platypus live and while held in captivity or is taken out of its natural habitat, only one zoo in Australia has succeeded to breed a healthy living platypus. European scientists have tried taking platypuses to Europe, but the platypuses soon died either along the way or soon after they landed in Europe.
Appearance/Bodies Platypuses have a unique body. Their bodies are as if they were mixed up from different animals. It has a wide bill, webbed feet like a duck's, and a tail and fur that looks like a beaver's. Even though it has a body that looks like a beaver and many people say its size is also very similar to a beaver, it is actually way smaller than a beaver, and that’s why it has predators like crocodiles that aren’t so big. Almost the whole body is dark brown, including the bill. A platypus is under 50 cm (20 in.), and weigh 1 to 1.5 kg (2-3 lbs).
Did you know that the character ‘Perry’ in Phineas and Ferb was a platypus?
Food
Scientist have found out that echidnas and platypuses are the only mammals that don’t dream when they sleep.
Platypuses are bottom feeders that find food on the bottom of lakes and rivers. They usually hunt at night. It looks for things like insect larvae, worms, crayfish, and snails. It carries its food that it has caught in pouches in its cheeks. Platypuses close their eyes and ears while under water, so its bill helps it ‘feel’ things. There are tiny holes all over a platypus’ bill and each hole carries an electrosensors that helps it detect movement made by other animals or its prey. Platypuses have no teeth in their bills. Instead of teeth, they have a strong jaw and bill. The strong jaw and bill grind food, and crush food down into small crusts so it can swallow it. The jaws keep on growing from the time they're born because the platypus eats a great amount of food (half the weight of its own body), and its jaw wears out and grinds itself a bit while it grinds its food.
Reproduction
Male platypuses have venom, and they use it to fight other males when mating. It can kill small animals and can cause serious pain to human or bigger animals.
Platypuses are one of the only mammals that lay eggs, which is called a monotreme. The mating season for platypuses is July to October, which is Australia's late winter and early spring. The female platypus and the male platypus meet in the water. The male platypus grabs the female's tail. They swim around in circles before they mate. Little is known about platypus mating because they seldom mate when they are taken out of their natural habitat. The female platypus digs a burrow with an entrance above the water to prepare for laying eggs. The burrow is about 18m (60ft), which is usually longer than the normal burrow she lives in. After digging the burrow, she makes a special place for her eggs. The female platypus puts leaves and grass in her room for laying eggs, and when the progress is done, it looks like a big nest. At last, after everything is done, the female platypus blocks its nest with dirt, and stays with the eggs for a while before they hatch.
Predators Be careful! Dingoes are pretty strong animals and it’s better not to disturb them!
Platypuses are usually safe under water, but normally in the bottom of the food chain on the surface. Big snakes, foxes, and dingoes are some of its predators. Dingoes are animals like dogs and wolves. Scientifically, dingoes are more of a type of wolf than a dog. Carpet snakes are one of the snakes that eat platypuses. Platypuses don’t have a special defense for themselves, so they usually just dive in the water as fast as they can. Owls, eagles, and freshwater crocodiles are also predators of the platypus. Some people believe that the reason why there aren't many platypuses in Northern Australia is because of the crocodiles that live in that area. As you can see platypuses have some rare and dangerous predators.
Conclusion Now you’ve learned about the platypus’ habitats, appearance, prey, reproduction, and predators. There are still many wonders about the platypus and a lot more to be discovered. The interesting platypuses are even in the 20 cent coin of Australia! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
Glossary A Appearance: n. What an animal or an object looks like.
B Burrow: n. A deep or short tunnel like path that was dug underground.
D
P Prey: Tn. he animals that gets chased or eaten by a stronger predator. Predator: n. The animals that chase or eat the weaker prey.
R Reproduction: n. How an animal mates and born young.
Drought: n. A lack of water that causes small lakes and ponds to dry out.
T
E
V
Electro-sensor: n. Tiny dots on a platypus’ bill that feels the electricity coming out of other animals, which helps it find where they are.
H Habitat: n. Where an animal lives.
M Mammal: n. A type of animals that feeds its young with milk from its body and has fur. Monotreme: n. A type of animals that lays eggs, but feeds its young with milk from its body, which scientists decided to count as a type of mammal.
Tasmania: A small island in the south of Australia.
Venom: Poison that an animal holds.
Ji Sue Shin was born in Denver, Colorado, USA. After about a year of living there, she moved to Korea.She lived there for about 6 years. She spent a semester of first grade there. When she was 7(2010), she came to Shanghai, not knowing a single word of English, or Chinese. Her first school was a British school, and she was in 2nd grade even though she did not complete 1st grade. She was the worst English speaker in her class, and she did not understand a single thing the teacher said. She still lives in Shanghai and has many hobbies. Two of them are playing the violin and piano. She also likes swimming and playing tennis. Ji Sue is a girl with many hobbies living in Shanghai.
Do you know about the amazing platypus? They have many unique features that other animals don’t have, and they have many cool abilities, and interesting ways of doing things. Did you know that the platypus lays eggs even though it’s a mammal? Did you know that a platypus’ burrow can be 4.6 to 18 meters long? They are splendid animals that still has a lot more to be found.