Wildlife

Flat footed and duck-billed
Platypus are identified by their streamlined body, webbed feet (platypus is Latin for ‘flat foot’), broad tail and characteristic bill, which is soft and pliable. They have two layers of fur: a dense waterproof outer-coat and a grey, woolly underfur that provides much-needed insulation. Males have venomous spurs on each ankle.

Their smooth swimming action, together with their low body profile and lack of visible ears, makes them easily recognisable in the water. Although platypus are strong swimmers, they are not fast and prefer slow-flowing streams.

Monotremes – egg-laying mammals
The female lays two or three round, leathery eggs in early summer. She incubates these by holding them against her belly with her tail as she lies in the nesting burrow.

In Tasmania, platypus are common in the lakes of the Central Highlands (even in lakes more than 914 metres above sea level) and in the rivers and streams of the south, south-west and north-west coasts. They are shy and wary, usually only venturing out in the early morning and evening.

Electro-sensitive Bill
Platypus forage for food for about 12-13 hours per day, and can consume up to half their bodyweight a day. When foraging on the bottom of waterways, platypus swim with their eyes, ears and nostrils closed. They use their electro-sensitive bill to locate and capture a range of prey, including worms, insects, crustaceans, molluscs and small vertebrates such as tadpoles.

Read more on the platypus