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Animal Weight

How much does a Platypus weight?

It is hard to guess what a Platypus weights. But we have the answer:

An adult Platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) on average weights 1.48 kg (3.27 lbs).

The Platypus is from the family Ornithorhynchidae (genus: Ornithorhynchus). They can live for up to 22 years. When reaching adult age, they grow up to 41.9 cm (1′ 5″). Usually, Platypuss have 2 babies per litter.

As a reference: An average human weights in at 62 kg (137 lbs) and reaches an average size of 1.65m (5′ 5″). Humans spend 280 days (40 weeks) in the womb of their mother and reach around 75 years of age.

The average adult weight of a Platypus is 1.48 kg (3.27 lbs)

The platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus), sometimes referred to as the duck-billed platypus, is a semiaquatic egg-laying mammal endemic to eastern Australia, including Tasmania. The platypus is the sole living representative of its family (Ornithorhynchidae) and genus (Ornithorhynchus), though a number of related species appear in the fossil record.Together with the four species of echidna, it is one of the five extant species of monotremes, the only mammals that lay eggs instead of giving birth to live young. Like other monotremes it senses prey through electrolocation. It is one of the few species of venomous mammals, as the male platypus has a spur on the hind foot that delivers a venom capable of causing severe pain to humans.The unusual appearance of this egg-laying, duck-billed, beaver-tailed, otter-footed mammal baffled European naturalists when they first encountered it, and the first scientists to examine a preserved platypus body (in 1799) judged it a fake, made of several animals sewn together.The unique features of the platypus make it an important subject in the study of evolutionary biology, and a recognisable and iconic symbol of Australia. It has appeared as a mascot at national events and features on the reverse of the Australian twenty-cent coin, and the platypus is the animal emblem of the state of New South Wales.Until the early 20th century humans hunted the platypus for its fur, but it is now protected throughout its range. Although captive-breeding programs have had only limited success, and the platypus is vulnerable to the effects of pollution, it is not under any immediate threat.

Animals with the same weight as a Platypus

As a comparison, here are some other animals that weight as much as the Ornithorhynchus anatinus:

Animals with the same size as a Platypus

Not that size really matters, but it makes things comparable. So here are a couple of animals that are as big as Platypus:

Animals with the same litter size as a Platypus

Here is a list of animals that have the same number of babies per litter (2) as a Platypus:

Animals with the same life expectancy as a Platypus

Completely different animals, but becoming as old as a Platypus: