Platypus are extraordinarily shy creatures and will vanish at the slightest hint of our presence so the pictures here are all taken from a distance.
Here you can see one swimming across the surface, heading towards its burrow.
Another surface journey
We mostly see these creatures when they are out feeding. This generally takes the form of 45 seconds scrabbling on the bottom of the dam to get a mouthful of food.
Alfresco dining
Being air-breathers they must come to the surface to ingest their catch.
This is a typical view of a platypus - it takes around 10 seconds for the eating and then its another trip to the bottom.
Here you can see the start of the return journey - it is tempting to call it a duck-dive but that would only fit the bill.
It really is a platypus dive or a platypus diving - whichever you prefer it is a very graceful thing which hardly disturbs the surface.
A Platypus dive
A closer look
This is about as close as we've been able to get - photographically - this is quite a large platypus - compared to anything I've seen in captivity but it is not really possible to measure them with a ruler.
Yet another picture - a platypus inspecting the camera.
the front-view
A Platypus crash-dive
Just like in the WWII submarine movies - a swallow skiming over the lake appears to have alarmed one of the platypus into a crash dive.
This document (www.middlepath.com.au/about/wildlife_platypus.php) was last updated on Monday June 16th 2008 || email
Please Note: While we believe the information we offer is true and valid through our own observations and experiences and we offer it freely with a sincere desire to help our fellow man, woman and child we feel it prudent to include the following as a precautionary device given various “authoritys” current attitude towards our work:
Content on this site is provided for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for “professional” “medical” advice or diagnosis. You are responsible for your own health and therefore should make sure you have sought appropriate advice before embarking on any course of therapy or treatment for any condition you may consider that you might be experiencing. If you have or suspect that you have a “medical” problem, it is your responsibility to contact a ”qualified“ health care practitioner.
Disclaimer: Information and statements on this site are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.