The discovery of these
animals was a true sensation. No one could believe in their existence:
scientific discussions lasted for many decades. Most people in the 18th-century
Britain considered the skin of platypus an intricate joke of Asian masters.
What do we know now about these remarkable and incredible creatures? The
exhibition “Prototheria” at the State Darwin Museum will tell about their
origin, habits and way of life. Platypuses and echidnas are very unusual
animals in many ways. They are the most primitive mammals that appeared on the
planet in the era of dinosaurs. These animals represent a transitional link
between ancient mammal-like
reptiles and other mammals. Platypuses and echidnas
have lots of peculiarities in their behaviour, diet, body temperature,
sensitivity to an electric field etc. Platypuses are great swimmers; however
they can’t see, hear or smell much under water. Echidnas are very secretive by
nature and their mating behaviour was discovered only in 2003, after 12 years
of observations. Currently, platypuses and echidnas are carefully protected in
Australia and there is no threat of their extinction. The exhibition at the
State Darwin Museum will display unique exhibits from the museum’s great collections
and rare books of the 19th century with the images of these unusual and
amazing mammals.