Generally regarded as both nocturnal and crepuscular, the platypus is most active during the dusk and nighttime hours, but may also be seen during the day when the sky is overcast.
Allowing the animal to swim and dive without much effort, the platypus has webbed paws and short legs protruding from the sides like an otter. Although many mistakenly believe that their wide beaver-like tails are used to propel them through the water, they are really used as a storage space for fat. Roughly the same size as a domesticated cat, platypuses are typically between 12 to 24 inches long and have a weight that ranges from two to four pounds at most. While the plush pelage that covers its streamlined body is dark brown on the back, it turns silvery gray to yellow on the underbelly. As a multiple layered coat, the final layer has long flat hairs that are useful in detecting the presence of nearby objects in muddy water. Covered in dense fur over the majority of its long slender body, the thick hair is naturally waterproof to keep the platypus warm and dry within the water. As a uniquely featured monotreme creature, the platypus is most distinctive for having a long soft, leathery snout that resembles a duck’s bill.
