Platypus,

[IRISH]

Bet not too many of you have found one of these [] , I took these photo's yesterday (26/2/06) in the creek that flows past our house, this was taken about four meters from the house and was about a meter away from me.
Pretty cool hey!

 

[IRISH]

This is his/her head just popping back out after the flash from the first photo, it's not vary shy for a Platypus they normaly take off as soon as they suspect someone is there.

 

[bearswede]

Great photos, Toby!!!

I want one!!!


Ron

 

[CanadianBoy]

Hey Irish, would make a great digging buddy, comes with a built-in shovel.

 

[Humabdos]

UMMM those are good eat'n! I like mine fried with lots of Vegemite. Also makes a great meat pie.
Glen

 

[amblypygi]

Very cool. If it's a him, look out: they can hurt ya bad I hear. Supposed to be one of the most painful "stings" known. Only the males have the venomous spurs though, so if it's a she you can take her diggin with ya []

Sean

 

[capsoda]

Hey Toby, thats just to cool. Good to see wildlife while digging.

 

[IRISH]

It would make a good digger, the amount of mud it stirs up is amazing.

I have met a fellow who was stung by one, apparently as well as being very painfull it will make you really crook for a while. Dunno about eating it, say it would be an oily little sucker [] .

Caps, wasn't digging at the time (worst luck) we could hear it splashing around from the living room [] , there is a deck off the living room and you can look down into the creek and sometimes see them in there. We have been seeing them for a few years here now, they had not been seen for more than 20 years prior to that.

Talking about digging, the old part of the house here dates to the 1890's and the creek is a few meters from it yet only one old bottle has come out in the 25 plus years my family has owned this property [] , I've found quite a few around the older house (now hay shed) dating from the late 1860's-early 70's. they are about 400 meters apart so not the same tips for both.