posted October 31, 2008 11:12 PM         

The Platypus is such an odd-looking creature that when it was discovered in 1798, the biologists of the day thought it to be a hoax. They thought someone had sewn the bill of a duck to a beaver. It is, indeed, a very unique animal. One of the most interesting things about the Platypus is that it is a mammal, yet it lays eggs to birth its young!

Physical Appearance: Platypuses (there is no known plural form of the word Platypus, so scientists just informally say Platypuses) actually look more like a duck than any known mammal. The Platypus has webbed feet and a rubbery snout resembling the bill of a duck. Its legs are on the side of its body (much like a reptile), not underneath like most mammals, and it is the size of a large cat, although the males are much larger than the females. The male has ankle spurs that contain venom that is excruciating to humans for long periods of time (as long as several months), but it is not deadly to us. The males only produce the venom during mating season. The females have no such venom. This venom has been a miracle to modern medicine in that it has helped us to better understand pain and will be a key in stopping pain for cancer victims, arthritis sufferers, and other patients.

Habitat: Platypuses are semi-aquatic and are excellent swimmers. They can only be found in eastern Australia. They have become extinct in southern Australia. They have low numbers in northern Australia, probably due to crocodiles and other predators.

Diet: The Platypus is a carnivore. It feeds on worms, insect larvae, freshwater shrimp, and freshwater crayfish that it digs out of the riverbed with its snout or catches while swimming. It uses pouches in its cheek to carry prey to the surface before eating it (Platypuses only dive for 30 seconds at a time). The Platypus needs to eat about 20 percent of its own weight each day. This requires the Platypus to spend an average of 12 hours each day looking for food.

Mating Habits: Breeding occurs only once a year, between June and October. The female Platypus has a pair of ovaries, but only the left one is functional. It lays one to three (usually two) small, leathery eggs (similar to those of reptiles), that are slightly rounder than bird eggs. The eggs develop for about 28 days with only about 10 days of external incubation (in contrast to a chicken egg, which spends about 1 day inside and 21 days externally). After laying her eggs, the female curls around them. The incubation period is separated into three parts. In the first, the embryo has no functional organs and relies on the yolk sac for sustenance. The yolk is absorbed by the developing young. During the second, the digits develop, and in the last, the egg tooth appears. The newly hatched young are vulnerable, blind, and hairless, and are fed by the mother's milk. Although possessing mammary glands like other mammals, the Platypus lacks teats. Instead, milk is released through pores in the skin. There are grooves on her abdomen that form pools of milk, allowing the young to lap it up. After they hatch, the offspring are suckled for three to four months. During incubation and weaning, the mother initially only leaves the burrow for short periods to forage for food. When doing so, she creates a number of thin soil plugs along the length of burrow to protect the young from predators. Pushing past these on her return forces water from her fur and allows the burrow to remain dry. After about five weeks, the mother begins to spend more time away from her young, and at around four months, the young emerge from the burrow.

Platypuses are often thought to be cute and cuddly, but as mentioned above, their venom can be the most excruciating and longest-lasting pain known to humans. And as cute as they are, it is doubtful you will ever find them represented in stuffed animals for children (like the teddy bear). A true evolutionary anomaly, once thought not to be biologically possible, the Platypus (oblivious to the impossibility of its existence) continues to thrive in its own little corner of the world.

posted November 16, 2008 04:12 AM         

* You're very kinesthetic, able to detect and move energy currents through your body.

* You're naturally clairsentient and would do well as an energy healer.

* You're a very sensitive individual, yet able to be lighthearted and spontaneous much of the time.

* You're very inquisitive, constantly probing for the hidden or deeper meanings of your experiences.