The platypus

You must have bump into many different strange animals on the bus, walking in the street or even at school but I bet you that none of them was as strange as this one: the platypus.
The platypus is a mammal that lives on the east coast of Australia. It is usually described as a hotchpotch of a variety of familiar animals: duck, otter and beaver. Platypuses have a bill that resembles a duck’s bill and webbed feet such as those of ducks. Male platypuses have poisonous stingers on their feet. The body of the platypus is similar to the beaver’s body; it is 35 to 40 cm long and with a flattened tail that is 10 to 15 cm in length. The body and tail are covered with a thick, soft brownish fur similar to the otter’s fur. This fur consists of three different layers. A platypus can grow to a maximum weight of 1 to 2.4 kg and live for an average of 14 years. The most peculiar characteristic of this animal is that they reproduce by laying eggs but they are mammals. There is only another animal which shares this characteristic with the platypus- the echidna. Platypuses do not have teeth, their diet consists of insects, larvae, shellfish and worms. They are considered one of the most unlikely animals in the world.
Why is that I decided to write about this animal? Well, it is because I am exposed to it every weekend when I watch the Disney cartoon Phineas and Ferb with my little niece. This is a Disney series about a particular family which has adopted a platypus as pet. It is said that the creators of this series chose to introduce this animal due to its striking appearance.
It cannot be denied that every day we learn something new. Even when you feel that you may be wasting your time watching cartoons but at the same time you are making a little person in your family extremely happy.
Enjoy these videos about one of the most peculiar animals on earth in its two versions: real life and cartoon.