The platypus is one of the strangest animals in the world. When scientists in England first saw a platypus skin in 1799, some of them thought it was a joke. They believed someone had sewn a duck's bill onto the body of a furry animal!

The platypus lives in rivers and creeks in eastern Australia and Tasmania. It has thick brown fur, a flat tail like a beaver, webbed feet and a soft, rubbery bill. It is a mammal, which means it has fur and feeds its babies milk. But unlike most mammals, the platypus lays eggs. The mother lays her eggs in a burrow dug into the riverbank.

A platypus hunts underwater, but it closes its eyes, ears and nose when it dives. So how does it find food? Its bill can sense tiny electric signals made by the muscles of other animals. The platypus scoops up insects, worms and yabbies from the bottom of the river and stores them in its cheeks. It eats them when it comes back to the surface.

Male platypuses have a sharp spur on each back leg. The spur contains venom and can give a very painful sting.

Platypuses are shy and are most active at dawn and dusk, so they are hard to spot. If you want to see one, find a quiet river, sit very still and watch for ripples on the water.