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May 17, 2005
Puggles - The Baby Platypus
They've got webbed feet, a duck bill, and they lay eggs... but they're not a bird. The duck-billed platypus is one of the most interesting mammals around. It defies many of the "rules" originally put forth to define a mammal, and when scientists first discovered them, they were considered a hoax, and you can't blame them! After all, the males also have venomous back feet with enough poison to kill a small child! With a beaver-like tail, the platypus swims in freshwater on the eastern part of Australia, but their numbers are dwindling due to pollution and other factors. But they're so damn cute!
Did I mention that platypus babies are refered to as puggles? Puggles is the generic term for all baby monotremes, including those in the platypus family (see comments for details) because no official baby name exists for them (although "platypup" is favored). How come this little tidbit never comes up on Jeopardy or Animal Planet?
Now an Australian zoo has finally managed to breed some of these funny-looking creatures in captivity - and hopefully more zoos will eventually partake in a breeding program to help save these creatures from extinction.
The pride of Sydney's Taronga Zoo, platypus twin girls named Samantha and Binari, find themselves in the same situation of which many Sydney women complain: Try as they might, neither twin can find a good male with which to settle down and have babies.
...
For 20 years attempts at breeding platypuses in captivity had gone astray, for reasons that may sound familiar: The conditions weren't right; the participants didn't get on; or one platypus just wasn't in the mood.
More at: Sydney Zoo Plays Platypus Matchmaker
Perhaps some help from Japanese scientists could help? Supposedly, they've managed to make mice reproduce without needing any male involvement whatsoever!
Dads, in the mammalian branch of the animal kingdom, are often out of the loop when it comes to producing progeny. After that initial contribution of sperm, they are excluded from pregnancy and are all but superfluous even after birth, when nurturing falls to Mom. Now Japanese scientists have streamlined reproduction even further—they have eliminated fathers entirely.
Scientists led by Tomohiro Kono, a biologist at the Tokyo University of Agriculture, have created baby mice without the introduction of sperm.
...
Amphibians, fish, and insects are able to reproduce from eggs alone—a process called parthenogenesis. But under normal circumstances mammals, including humans and mice, cannot. They need genetic contributions from mom and dad.
More at: The End of Males? Mouse Made to Reproduce Without Sperm
Funny that last paragraph... since duck-billed playtpi are mammals and do lay eggs.... but I digress. Getting these creatures to reproduce can't be easy. The normal reproductive methods used by zoos - like in-vitro and such - might work well in most mammals, but the platypus reproductive system is quite unique.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Photo of platypus by the Environmental Protection Agency of Australia.
Posted by sorsha at May 17, 2005 4:20 PM
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Comments
Great reading, keep up the great posts.
Peace, JiggaDigga
Posted by: JiggaDigga | April 6, 2006 9:49 PM
OHH this platypus is sooooo cute can you send me more pictures and info about them
THANKS,
coral
Posted by: coral | April 11, 2007 10:34 AM
What else would you like to know about the platypus?
You can find more pictures of the platypus on Australia's Wildlife of Tasmania website.
Posted by: Lauren Darcey | April 11, 2007 12:36 PM
i love platypus's they're my favorite!!! I'm working on an essay and wanted to know what baby platypus's were called, and now i know!!! they're puggles. that's also a name of a dog, i tthink it's a mix between a pug and a poodle though but never mind. I love platypus's. thanks soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much.
Posted by: suzanna | May 7, 2007 3:44 PM
Is there anywhere in the US where you can see a live platypus? I would love to see one in person, but Australia is just so far away!
Posted by: Cindy | June 20, 2007 4:04 PM
Let's see. There are several kinds of monotremes - including echidnas and the platypus. I know there's a short-beaked Echidna at the Children's Zoo in San Diego Zoo.
The duck-billed platypus is difficult to keep in captivity and few have survived and had little puggles. I know I've seen one in a zoo in the states, I think it was the San Diego Zoo.
Posted by: Lauren Darcey | June 24, 2007 6:03 PM
I LOVE PLATAPUSES!
They are cute, so small
adorable....my favorite one of all
Platypuses....one of a kind
they will always be in my mind
Posted by: Hannah | July 8, 2007 9:44 AM
Platypus babies are not called puggles. The name puggle is the generic term for babies of monotreme's like this and the echidna.
However as there is no actual name for a baby platypus the word puggle is used, which is confusing :)
Posted by: ajax | July 8, 2007 1:57 PM
Ajax is correct in that puggles is not an official term. However, it has been widely used to refer to baby monotremes, including the platypus family and various types of echidnas.
There is no official name, but I am a believer in the growth of language through use of words, and I totally support the continuation of puggle as the term for a baby platypus just as kit is a baby fox, and gaggle is a group of geese.
And google is now a verb.
Posted by: Lauren Darcey | July 10, 2007 10:07 AM
the term puggle is used for the echidna, but normally not the platypus...the term 'patypup' is the local term used here.
Posted by: brian | October 10, 2007 8:07 AM
Do you know if the Platypus is extinct? I'm working on an extra-credit project. I just wanted to know!!!
Thanks!!!
Amber :-)
Posted by: Amber | December 11, 2007 7:47 AM
The platypus is not extinct.
It is listed on the IUCN Red List for Endangered Species as Least Concern (LC), like many common animals.
Posted by: Lauren Darcey | December 11, 2007 11:59 AM
i love platypuses
Posted by: evilbunny | February 8, 2008 8:45 AM
hello I like platypus
Posted by: elise | March 12, 2008 1:27 AM
I have searched, and according to an Australian wildlife web site, there has not been an official name given to the baby platypus- but platypup is the most recomended. They are not called puggles.
Posted by: beth | May 17, 2008 4:43 PM
Hi Beth,
Please see in the comments above where we discussed baby animal naming. However, I have amended the entry to reflect our discussion now so it's less confusing.
Puggles is not an official term referring to platypus specifically, but the name used for babies of the whole Animal Kingdom Order of Monotremes (egg-laying mammals).
There is no official name for specifically the baby platypus, although yes, platypup has been used by some.
I refer to the more generic name of puggle, rather like calling all baby birds hatchlings or fledglings for lack of more specific word (duckling, gosling, eaglet).
Thanks for your comment!
Posted by: Lauren Darcey | May 19, 2008 7:52 AM
baby platypols are so CUTE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: rebecca johnston | June 5, 2008 4:00 PM
I have project about making an animals habitat and I piked the platypus 'cause they are cute and interesting animals. I searched a lot and I found out that platypuses are one step away from becoming endangerd.
Posted by: Andrei Strugari | June 17, 2008 5:46 PM
I am triying to do a big reserch progect for school but I can't find any pictures so I think you need more pictures
Editor's Note: Heh. Doin' my best, Garrett!
Posted by: Garrett kruger | May 16, 2009 4:12 AM