The platypus is one of the weirdest creatures that we know exist on the planet. I decided to write about them this week just because of how interesting they are! So here are some fun facts about platypuses: 

Fun fact number one is that they don’t have stomachs. “How do they digest food?” I hear you asking. Well, they store the food in what’s called cheek pouches, which have keratinized pads that replace teeth to grind up their food. 

The next fun fact is that platypuses feed their young with milk but don’t have nipples! Since platypuses are mammals, they produce milk, but they never evolved nipples, so their milk just collects on the skin after being produced by the mammary glands. So, for platypuses, milk is kind of like a nutritious sweat of sorts. 

The last fun fact is that male platypuses have venomous spurs on their feet. More venom comes out during mating season leading researchers to believe that they use it to compete with other males. You would never expect such a cute little thing to have venom, though. The venom is not enough to kill a human but will cause excruciating pain and severe swelling. 

After learning about all these fun facts I’ve come to believe that the earth has all sorts of wacky creatures on it and to expect that unexpected. Comment below weird animal facts that you know of!