Platypus
The platypus is a unique creature only found in Australia. Platypuses live in freshwater rivers and lakes. These animals spend their days on both land and water. They have webbed feet which helps them swim and claws that helps them dig on the ground. Male platypus' have hollow spurs behind each hind leg which is connected to a venom gland. There is suggestion that the males use these spurs to help them from predators, but there hasn't been any studies to justify this.
Although they love to swim in the water, they cannot breathe under water. They often come up above the water and breathe air through its nostrils located on top of its bill. A bill is a hard beak like a mouth. Platypuses dig long burrows by the body of water where they live and at the end is their sleeping chamber. These borrows can be from 20-50 feet long! Female platypuses lay eggs inside their sleeping chamber and once they hatch, she feeds its young with milk from her body. The milk the mother produces comes through pores on her stomach. This process makes it easy for their babies to lick the mother's stomach for feeding.
Platypuses are interesting animals that are difficult to sight because they like to live in quiet secluded areas of Australia.
Definitions
unique - to be different from the rest.
hollow - to have a hole or empty space inside.
spurs - something with a small spike.
venom - a poisonous substance through biting or stinging.
predators - an animal that naturally preys on others.
burrows - a hole or tunnel dug by a small animal.
chamber- a large space.
secluded - not seen or visited by many people.
Synonyms
Synonym is a word that means exactly the same as another word. Ex: unique=different.
Directions: There are synonym pairs that are mixed up. Match up the synonyms that belong together.
unique enormous
small weird
thin different
big tiny
unusual narrow
So interesting! They are unusual looking creatures. I think the way they build their chambers is fascinating.
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