Duckbill Platypus

Oh Monotremes. You are so amazingly, incredibly bizarre. And as weird as the Echidna was, it's got nothing on the Platypus, a mammal so darn weird that British Naturalists actually believed it was a hoax stitched together by Chinese sailors. And you know what? I really don't blame them. How would you react to a weird, otter-like creature with webbed flippers, a beaver tail and a bird-like bill?

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Platypuses (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) are one of a kind, the only living members of the Monotreme suborder Platypoda. Other, now-extinct Platypuses exist in the fossil record as far back at 60 million years. (The first known Monotremes, while we're on this topic, are thought to have diverged from other mammals over 160 million years ago.) They are found exclusively in Australia, along the eastern edge of the continent and on the island of Tasmania.

All of the Platypus's features serve a purpose. Their bill is actually one long snout full of sensory organs used to locate and scoop up food underwater. The webbed feet assist in swimming, digging, and paddling, and their dense fur serves as insulation. The tail also helps in swimming, and provides fat-storage. Adult Platypuses do not have teeth, and they will collect gravel to help chew food, which primarily consists of insects and crustaceans.

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Like all Monotremes, Platypuses lay eggs. Two are typically laid at a time, and are insulted below the mother's tail. At birth the young Platypus is tiny and helpless, and will be cared for for several months.

On top of laying eggs and looking weird, the Platypus is toxic! Males have venom-injecting spurs on their rear feet. It is believed that this venom is significant during mating periods.

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Bornean Orangutan

The Bornean Orangutan is one of two extant Orangutan species in the world. It is the third largest primate (after Gorillas) and is the largest primarily tree-dwelling animal in the world. Males are substantially larger than females, and average at around 165lbs. Bornean Orangutans are largely solitary. A handful might live within a small range but they will seldom interact with one another. Males and females only meet up to breed, which happens only once every several years. A young Orangutan will stay with it's mother for about five years, and the females tend to go about eight years between births. That is the longest interim period of any animal! Sadly, the Bornean Orangutans are in a lot of trouble. They need large forests in order to thrive, and deforestation and habitat degradation has left many homeless. They are also hunted for meat and for traditional medicines. Conservation areas are being established to help these guys in the wild, and it is believed that there are a

Four!

For anyone who was counting, yesterday was our birthday-- four years! Four years filled with animals from A to Z, more than 1,100 of them! I can't thank my readers enough, it's been wonderful! And in celebration of that milestone... I'm taking a break. Hopefully not forever, but for a little bit at least. In the mean time I plan on getting a new layout out, along with some updates to some of the older articles. I'll post updates here and on the Facebook page, I'm also brainstorming some new animal-related projects, so keep an eye out! Thanks again for four awesome years!

Halloween Crab

Gecarcinus quadratus The Halloween Crab goes by many names, including the Red Land Crab, Whitespot Crab, and Moon Crab. I personally like Halloween Crab though, since it really reflects the interesting colors. They have black carapaces, orange-red legs, and purple claws! Halloween Crabs live in the Pacific coast mangroves and forests of Central and South America. They actually live in the forests as adults, and return to the ocean in order to reproduce. Did you know that they live as far away as 18 miles (30km) from water? Not where you normally think Crabs to be! While living in the forest, the Crabs forage nocturnally for different plant matter, including leaves and sapling. They also dig long burrows into the ground for protection. These burrows can measure nearly 5 ft long! Halloween Crabs are sometimes kept in captivity, and can be very tricky pets due to their excellent climbing skills. IUCN Status : Not Listed Location : Cent

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