Egads! So much for that daily thing, eh, but things got crazy. (Deadlines and colds and house emergencies of the septic tank variety…don’t even ask…AND this was scheduled to post yesterday, but didn’t, and I didn’t notice until, ahem, 11pm…). But here’s a fact I ran across doing today’s reading with Isabella (we’re doing Australia in her Kindergarten “explore the world” unit).
Did you know that the platypus is the only mammal that lays eggs?** I did not (though Catherine did, and was very proud of herself for knowing it, too). Consider yourself informed if you didn’t, and self-righteous in your mammalian knowledge if you did!
They are of the monotreme class, the other classes being marsupials and placental.
**apparently our kindergarten resources are not entirely accurate, as my due diligence has come up with another egg-laying mammal, the echidna, also of Australia, also mentioned in our book, and the book didn’t mention eggs. But now you know…
And, because both species live in Australia, enjoy this You Tube video, which has been amusing my kids for the last couple of days:
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
I love Platypus’s! I just think they are amazing. I don’t see them as an ugly animal just fascinating.
I have always been fascinated by the ugly platypus and thanks for the interesting facts, did not know they laid eggs either. Learn something every time I come here and this one was a doozy and egg laying mammal, imagine that!!!
jackie b central texas