The platypus is one of the world’s most unique mammals, instantly recognizable by its duck-like bill, webbed feet, and beaver-like tail. This Australian native is one of only five species of monotremes, distinguishing itself as a mammal that reproduces by laying eggs. Given the animal’s distinct biology, the name for its young is not immediately obvious. This unusual combination of features often sparks curiosity, extending to the terminology used for its offspring.
The Definitive Answer: What is a Puggle
The most commonly accepted name for a baby platypus is a “puggle.” This term has become widely used in popular culture and by conservation institutions to describe the young of this unique species. While not an official scientific designation like “cub” or “joey,” the name puggle has been adopted as the primary vernacular term.
The name “puggle” is shared with the young of the platypus’s only extant monotreme relative, the echidna. The term gained significant public traction in the early 2000s after staff at the Taronga Zoo used it to refer to a pair of platypus twins born in captivity. Although some attempts have been made to introduce other names, such as “platypup,” puggle remains the established term that most people recognize and use.
From Egg to Puggle: Early Development
The process of a platypus’s reproduction begins with the female, or cow, retreating to a specialized, deep nesting burrow. Inside this secure chamber, the female typically lays one to three small, leathery eggs, which resemble those of reptiles. After a gestation period of around 16 days, the eggs are incubated for an estimated 10 days, with the mother keeping them warm by curling her body around them.
The puggle hatches in a very immature, vulnerable state, often weighing less than a gram. These tiny hatchlings are blind, hairless, and possess a small, fleshy bump called a caruncle, which assists them in breaking out of the eggshell. The mother provides nourishment in an unconventional manner, as platypuses lack nipples. Milk is instead secreted through specialized pores in two patches of skin on the mother’s abdomen.
Puggles remain entirely dependent on the mother inside the nesting burrow, lapping the rich, thick milk directly from her fur. They continue to develop within this protected environment for a substantial period, generally staying underground for three to four months. During this time, they grow significantly, shedding their temporary teeth before finally emerging as juveniles ready to navigate the outside world.
Terminology Beyond the Baby
While “puggle” is the popular term for the young, the adult platypus lacks widely accepted common names specific to its gender. In some informal contexts, due to their duck-like bill, a male platypus is sometimes referred to as a “drake,” and a female is occasionally called a “cow.” However, these terms are not officially recognized and are less common than the name for the young.
A collective noun for a group of platypuses is also not officially recognized, largely because the animal is solitary by nature. Platypuses are rarely found together outside of the breeding season, usually foraging alone in the rivers and streams. Despite their solitary habits, the suggested collective noun for a gathering is a “paddle” or sometimes a “raft,” a playful reference to their webbed feet and aquatic environment.