So, it should not come across as a surprise that some species may not outlive the others.
On the verge of extinction
According to a report by AFP, Australia's unique platypus population is the latest to join in the list of animals that are inching towards extinction due to climate change.The report, which quotes a recent study, said that 40 per cent of the platypus' historical range had perished on the east coast of Australia due to drought, land clearing, pollution and building of dams.
The study’s authors said if the current threats persist, the number of existing platypus numbers could decline by up to 47-66 per cent over the next 50 years, and up to 73 per cent by the year 2070.
The study’s lead author Gilad Bino said damage to river systems caused by years of little rainfall and high temperatures further expose the platypus to even worse local extinctions, with no capacity to repopulate areas.
He believed that as such, a national risk assessment and conservation steps should be carried out immediately to minimise the risk of extinction.
The platypus is said to be one of the world’s strangest animals. With the bill of a duck, tail of a beaver and otter-like feet, they, along with four species of echidna, are the only mammals that lay eggs.
With so many animals going extinct these days, we really do hope the platypus species will not be one of them.