#platypus — Public Fediverse posts

Death trap: Killing Australian wildlife with everyday items

"Flying foxes make up two-thirds of all entanglement cases in NSW"

"But it’s not just flying foxes – entanglements affect hundreds of different species, mostly mammals and birds, including kangaroos, platypus, raptors and gliders....Hungry animals, especially flying foxes, birds and possums, are attracted to flowers and fruits, and get easily caught in “large-aperture” nets, where the mesh size is greater than 5mm. The rule of thumb is that if you can poke a finger through it, it’s not safe for wildlife."

"Aquatic debris makes up about 10% of entanglement cases, according to NSW wildlife rescue data. Fishing line is probably the most difficult type of litter for platypus to cope with, and causes horrendous injuries – it basically just cuts through the skin.” >>
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/jul/11/everyday-items-catching-killing-native-animals-how-to-help-tangled-wildlife
#biodiversity #wildlife #bats #birds #platypus #traps #entanglement #fencing #netting #FishingGear #Plastic #garbage #BarbedWire #fences #Hairties #fruit #food #gardens
Image: Grey-headed flying foxes mosaic, Bellingen

🦫🌈 Platypus fur just got even more fascinating!

Scientists discovered unusual pigment structures in platypus fur that help the animal stay camouflaged and possibly even regulate temperature in cold water. These unique nanostructures give the iconic Australian monotreme its distinctive brownish hue while offering surprising evolutionary advantages.

Read more: https://thedebrief.org/scientists-discover-unusual-pigment-structures-in-platypus-fur/

@goodnews

#Platypus #NatureScience #AnimalAdaptation #GoodNews

Tonight's editing on the novel Saberbeak features the infamous Duckbill Murder Hen, a mallard+beaver (or is that platypus?) serial killer locked away in the depths of the Argent Heights.

Or, as Reeve Silver calls her, "Molly, please don't alarm our new gryphon guests."

🎨 @meeteazy

#gryphinsFanArt #gryphon #platypus #saberbeak

If you think a platypus is weird, or an echidna is strange, can you imagine what would happen if you combined the two?

The so-called "echidnapus" – an ancient creature recently identified from a batch of long-forgotten fossils at Australian Museum – may just be the Rosetta Stone of early mammal evolution!

Learn more about this awesome, ancient and frankly bizarre creature… https://ausgeo.co/echidnapus

#museum #museums #discovery #platypus #echidna #australia #seeaustralia #australiagram #australian #exploreaustralia #australianwildlife #animals #animal #megafauna #wildlife #nature #australianmuseum

👨‍🎨 Peter Shouten
#environment #academia #research #academicchatter #biology #history #histodon #nature #wildlife #science #scientist