-
In captivity, a platypus has been observed to remain
underwater for up to 14 minutes while resting quietly under a log.
-
When
searching actively for food, a platypus will usually remain submerged for less
than a minute before returning to the surface to breathe.
-
Like most diving mammals, the platypus has blood that is very
rich in oxygen-carrying haemoglobin and red cells.
-
The platypus can also reduce
its need for oxygen when diving by lowering its heart rate dramatically, from
more than two hundred beats per minute to less than ten beats per minute.
Platypus fur
Return
to Platypus Page
-
Platypus fur is extremely fine and even denser than that of
polar bears and river otters, with up to 900 hairs covering each square
millimetre of skin!
-
Platypus fur also has two layers - a woolly undercoat and
longer, shiny guard hairs - which work together to trap a layer of air next to
the skin, keeping most of the animal's body dry even when diving.
-
For the platypus to stay warm while in the water, its fur
must remain completely clean and waterproof, and not be fouled by oil or other
pollutants.
-
An important element in its behaviour is the grooming of
its fur. Sometimes this occurs in the water, but more often it occurs on a
particular log or rock.
Body temperature
Return
to Platypus Page
-
A healthy platypus normally maintains its body temperature at
close to 32 oC,
about 5 oC less
than that of humans.
-
This reduces the rate at which a platypus loses heat to the
water, helping to ensure that the animals don't become chilled even when
swimming all night in near-freezing conditions.
-
The combination of a naturally low body temperature and thick
fur coat also means that the platypus overheats rapidly if exposed to warm
conditions on land.
Electro
reception system
Return
to Platypus Page
-
The platypus hunts underwater, predominantly at night.
-
In such conditions, hearing and eye-sight are of little use in detecting prey.
-
The platypus closes both its eyes and ears (which are located in a
groove behind the eyes) and relies on its "sixth sense" - an
electro-receptor system. This system is located in the bill and helps it detect the small
flickers of electricity produced by the aquatic creatures that it feeds on.
-
The
bill also contains various pressure sensors, which together with the
electro-receptors, probably assist navigation while submerged.
-
The platypus was once commonly known as a
"duckbill". However its bill is rubbery and flexible, not hard like
that of a duck.
-
Although the bill is quite tough (to enable the platypus to
search for food amongst rocks and gravel) it is covered with skin.
-
Sometimes
platypus are found with scars on their bill, suggesting that they have cut
themselves on sharp objects in the water, such as broken glass and wire, or have
been snagged on fishing hooks.
Swimming
Return
to Platypus Page
-
The platypus swims using only its front limbs for propulsion.
-
The front feet are equipped with large webs of skin that serve as highly
effective paddles.
-
The webs are folded under the foot when the platypus is out
of the water, making it easier for the animal to walk and use its strong claws
for digging burrows.
-
Unfortunately, these highly specialised front feet are not
adept at removing objects that become caught around the head or body. As a
result, platypus can die after becoming ensnared in litter such as loops of
nylon fishing line or plastic six-pack holders.
-
The hind legs of the platypus help to steer and stabilise the
animal when it is swimming. The back feet end in a series of sharp, curved claws
that are used like a comb to keep the animal's fur tidy and waterproof.
-
Both the front and back legs extend out horizontally from the
body, providing a powerful swimming and digging action. However, it also forces
the platypus to shuffle like a lizard when walking on land or crossing shallow
areas of water, making them vulnerable to predators such as foxes and dogs.
The tail
Return
to Platypus Page
-
The main function of the tail is to store up to 50% of the
animal's body fat, providing an energy reserve if food is scarce.
-
Researchers
rate the general physical condition of a platypus on a five-point scale by
applying a "squeeze test" to the tail in order to assess the amount of
fat stored there.
-
The tail is also used as a stabiliser when swimming, and being flat, it
enables the platypus to dive quickly.
-
A female platypus can use her tail to collect leaves to
make a nest in the breeding chamber, and it is used in burrowing.
-
She then also uses her curled up tail to hold
eggs against her stomach during incubation.
-
The platypus tail is broad and paddle-like, quite unlike the
tail of the Australian water-rat (the animal most likely to be confused with a
platypus by observers) which is thin and also has a distinctive white tip.
-
Some early reports suggested that the platypus slapped the
water with its tail to make warning sounds, similar in behaviour to beavers. In
fact, there is no evidence for this, although when startled platypus will
sometimes make a "splash-dive" - a rapid dive in which they seem to
use the tail to thrust themselves downwards quickly.
-
This can produce quite a
loud noise, and perhaps this was the origin of the tail-slapping myth.
