Where do platypuses live in the wild?
Quick Answer
Platypuses live only in eastern Australia and Tasmania. They are found in freshwater rivers, streams, and lakes, especially in areas with riverbanks suitable for burrows.
The Full Story
The platypus is endemic to Australia, meaning it occurs naturally nowhere else. Its range covers eastern mainland Australia and Tasmania, where it lives in freshwater habitats such as rivers, creeks, and lakes. It needs banks for digging burrows and feeds on aquatic invertebrates on the riverbed. The species, Ornithorhynchus anatinus, is one of the most unusual mammals on Earth because it lays eggs. It is a monotreme, a group of egg-laying mammals found only in Australia and New Guinea.
Key Facts
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Suggested video title for this topic:
"The egg-laying mammal hiding in Australia’s rivers"
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