and here's some more interesting facts about the Platypus that I borrowed from this website:
http://www.pbs.org/kratts/world/aust/plat/
The platypus seems weird to people because it lays eggs and is a mammal, but really it's just a creature that's just very specialized to do what platys do best -- swim, eat, and burrow! Living on the banks of bodies of water, the platypus burrows 50 foot long tunnels and uses its webbed feet to doggy-paddle around. The bill is a stream-lined nose and mouth for sniffing and snuffling up pond-bottom delicacies like shrimp! Perfectly designed for underwater life, the platypus has two layers of fur -- the first is short and dense and never lets water through to the skin! The second is longer and is the layer of fur that gets wet. The flat furry tail stores fat for the long cold winter in freezing waters.