# Platypus (*Ornithorhynchus anatinus*)

> The platypus is a small, semi-aquatic Australian mammal with a duck-like bill, webbed feet, and a beaver-like tail. It is one of only five mammal species that lay eggs (a monotreme), and males have a venomous spur. Platypuses typically live 6 to 15 years in the wild.

- **Category:** Mammal
- **Conservation status (IUCN):** Near Threatened
- **Range:** Eastern Australia from northern Queensland to Victoria, and across Tasmania, in permanent freshwater rivers, streams, and lakes.
- **Canonical page:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/platypus/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Scientific classification

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Chordata
- **Class:** Mammalia
- **Order:** Monotremata
- **Family:** Ornithorhynchidae
- **Genus:** Ornithorhynchus

## Facts at a glance

| Attribute | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Scientific name | Ornithorhynchus anatinus |
| Diet | Carnivore (insect larvae, worms, shellfish) |
| Habitat | Freshwater rivers, streams, and lakes |
| Lifespan | 6–15 years in the wild |
| Weight | 0.7–2.4 kg (1.5–5.3 lb) |
| Length | 40–50 cm (16–20 in) including tail |
| Conservation status | Near Threatened (IUCN) |

## A mammal that lays eggs

The platypus is a monotreme — one of just five surviving species of egg-laying mammals, alongside four echidna species. Females lay one to three leathery eggs in a riverbank burrow and curl around them until they hatch after about ten days. Like all mammals, the mother then feeds her young milk, though platypuses have no nipples and instead secrete milk through patches of skin.

## The electric bill

A platypus hunts with its eyes, ears, and nostrils sealed shut underwater. Instead, its soft rubbery bill is packed with tens of thousands of receptors that detect the faint electric fields given off by the muscles of prey such as insect larvae, worms, and shrimp. This electroreception lets it find food in murky water, sweeping its bill side to side like a living metal detector.

## Venomous spurs

Male platypuses are among the few venomous mammals. Each hind leg carries a sharp spur connected to a venom gland that becomes more active in the breeding season, when males use it in fights over mates. The venom is not deadly to humans but causes intense, long-lasting pain that ordinary painkillers struggle to relieve.

## Habitat and range

Platypuses live only in eastern Australia, from the tropical rivers of northern Queensland down through New South Wales and Victoria to Tasmania. They need permanent freshwater with earthen banks for burrowing and spend much of the day resting, becoming active at dawn and dusk to forage.

## Conservation

The platypus is listed as Near Threatened by the IUCN. Drought, river regulation, land clearing, and entanglement in litter and illegal nets have shrunk its range and numbers. Because it is so dependent on healthy waterways, the platypus is treated as an indicator of river health across eastern Australia.

## Frequently asked questions

### Is the platypus a mammal?

Yes. Despite laying eggs, the platypus is a mammal because it is warm-blooded, has fur, and feeds its young milk. It belongs to a small group of egg-laying mammals called monotremes.

### Is the platypus venomous?

Males are. Each hind leg has a spur linked to a venom gland, used mainly in fights with rival males. The venom is not lethal to people but causes severe, long-lasting pain.

### What does a platypus eat?

Platypuses are carnivores that feed on insect larvae, worms, freshwater shrimp, and other small bottom-dwelling animals, which they detect using the electrical sensors in their bill.

### Where do platypuses live?

Platypuses are found only in eastern Australia and Tasmania, in permanent freshwater rivers, streams, and lakes with banks soft enough to dig burrows.

### How long do platypuses live?

In the wild platypuses usually live 6 to 15 years, which is long for such a small mammal. Individuals in captivity have reached their early twenties.

## Sources

- [IUCN Red List — Ornithorhynchus anatinus.](https://www.iucnredlist.org/search?query=Ornithorhynchus%20anatinus&searchType=species)
- [Animal Diversity Web — Ornithorhynchus anatinus. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.](https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Ornithorhynchus_anatinus/)
- [Wikipedia — Platypus.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Platypus)

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/platypus/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.