Habitat of the Duck-Billed PlatypusPlatypuses appear in freshwater systems from the topical rainforests to the elevations of northern Queensland to the cold and high altitudes of Tasmania and the Alps of Australia. The platypus feeds in slow-moving streams as well as rapid streams however, the platypus prefers streams with coarser bottoms such as cobbles and gravel. When the platypus is not looking for food it spends most of its time in burrows in the bank of a river, a creek or a pond. Sometimes platypuses use rocky crevices and stream debris as shelters or they burrow under roots of plants. The ideal habitat for a platypus involves a river or a stream with banks and native plants which both provide shading of the stream and bank. The platypus tries to keep its body temperature of 32 degrees Celsius during the whole year. In summer it is able to do this when temperatures get really high because they can use the lakes to cool down.
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Rhythmic Behaviour |
The duck-billed platypus is active all year round, however they are nocturnal and mainly appear at dusk and at night. During the day platypuses shelter in their burrows however the activity of the platypus depends on many factors. The factors may include human activity, temperatures, length of the day and the availability of food.
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