What do you get when you combine a duck’s bill, a beaver-like tail, webbed feet, venomous spurs, egg-laying, and the ability to detect electricity? You get one of the most unusual animals on Earth—the platypus.

In this episode, Mark talks with Australian platypus researcher Dr. Tahneal Hawke about the remarkable biology, behavior, and conservation of this one-of-a-kind mammal. They explore how platypuses hunt underwater with their eyes, ears, and nostrils closed, why males carry venomous spurs, and how an egg-laying mammal became one of evolution’s greatest surprises.

Dr. Hawke also shares what it is like studying these elusive animals in the wild, the threats they face from habitat loss, drought, and changing waterways, and what researchers are learning about how to protect them.

Funny, fascinating, and packed with “wait...what?” moments, this episode proves that when it comes to the platypus, nature clearly decided the usual rules did not apply.

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