Rich, Curator of Vertebrate Palaeontology at Museums Victoria, for reviewing the Evolutionary History section (in Taxonomy & History) of this fact sheet. Thomas is the platypus studbook keeper as well as a species coordinator for the Zoo Aquarium Association. She has conducted research on behavioral enrichment for platypuses to enhance animal welfare in zoos. Thomas oversees Healesville’s platypus managed care programs, including behavior, diet, nutrition, health, and exhibit environment. She also investigated maternal care and juvenile dispersal in the platypus.Īs a keeper, Dr. Thomas earned a PhD from the University of Melbourne, where she studied platypus breeding behavior. Jess Thomas oversees the platypus husbandry program at Healesville Sanctuary, a world-renowned facility in platypus breeding, care, and research. Jessica Thomas for providing expert content review of the Managed Care section of this fact sheet. See his detailed profile on cesar australia’s website. Griffiths earned his bachelor’s degree in Environmental Biology the University of Adelaide. Griffiths has worked in diverse landscapes in arid South Australia, the highlands of Victoria, and Tasmania’s river systems. He also works with government representatives, industry leaders, and community members to develop management plans and conservation programs related to the platypus. Griffiths has extensive experience studying platypuses in the wild, including conducting field surveys of platypus abundance and health. He is also deeply involved in cesar australia’s community engagement initiatives, such as platypusSPOT, a citizen science project. Senior Wildlife Ecologist Josh Griffiths leads cesar australia’s platypus ecology research team, including field studies to monitor platypus abundance, distribution, and population recovery, as well as ecological genetics. Thank you to Josh Griffiths for providing expert content review of this fact sheet. Few platypuses in zoos currently, two reside at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, all others in Australian collections.Difficult to keep and breed in managed care settings.Thick fur provides exceptional insulation against cold water (better than that for polar bears and beavers) thick fur makes platypuses prone to heat stress when out of the water.Adult males have venomous spurs-likely to defend mates and territory from rival males (unusual adaptation among venomous animals).Properties of platypus milk may protect hatchlings against infections.Females lack nipples milk exuded through skin patches.Often forage 10 to 12 hours per day longer in some locations and seasons.Hunt by detecting minute electric fields of prey with sensitive bill.Wild populations: typically 7-14 years, but may be lower in degraded habitat areas Many individuals begin breeding later.ġ-3 eggs per breeding season 2 eggs most common Physical maturity reached at two years of age. Infrequently, crocodiles and large native fish. Red fox, domestic and feral dogs, cats, Tasmanian devil, raptors (e.g., wedge-tailed eagle). Also, shrimp, crayfish, and swimming insects. Mainly bottom-dwelling insects (especially larvae). Rear limbs act as rudders while swimming. Use powerful forelimbs for swimming and burrowing. Possibly numbers in the thousands or tens of thousands (roughly 30,000 to 300,000). Considered common within its range but populations undergone large declines since 1890s. Introduced to western Kangaroo Island.įreshwater streams, lakes, pools, and associated wetland/riverine (riparian) zones Native to eastern mainland Australia, Tasmania, and King Island. Thick fur that provides insulation against cold water while swimming. Head-body Length (tip of bill to tip of tail) Species: Ornithorhynchus anatinus (Shaw, 1799) – platypus, duck-billed platypus Genus: Ornithorhynchus (Blumenbach, 1800) Order: Monotremata (Bonaparte, 1837) - monotremes (egg-laying mammals)įamily: Ornithorhynchidae (Gray, 1825 sensu Burnett, 1830) All rights reserved.Ĭlass: Mammalia (Linnaeus, 1758) - mammals Image credit: © San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance.
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