#PLATYPUS EVOLUTION TREE PATCH#
There’s scarcely a patch of fur on the islands. What is equally unusual, however, is what isn’t there: Mammals. New Zealand is chockfull of unusual species.
Many refer to it as an “honorary mammal.” We’re in New Zealand, and this nocturnal insectivore is a bird, one with nubbins for wings, catlike whiskers, soft feathers, and, unlike any other bird, nostrils on the tip of its beak. And as the male calls, he identifies himself: “Kee-wee, kee-wee.” Scratching, probing, sniffing, the animal often duets with its mate, calling back and forth, remaining in contact as they traverse their territory. All the others move about on four legs and bear live young. This one’s pelage is also soft, made up of millions of thin strands. filtering: Whales and whale sharks use very different designs of filters to separate their food from water.īut this one is different. Many animals spend their nights cruising the forest floor, searching for small prey in a similar fashion: Hedgehogs, shrews, weasels, to name a few, and bigger ones, too, like opossums and even pigs. Threatened, it takes off at breakneck speed, barreling through the vegetation, ducking through holes, soon lost from sight.Īn entirely unexceptional lifestyle. The forest is dark and the pixie’s eyesight poor, but long whiskers and a keen sense of smell allow it to get around. Snuffling through the underbrush, the shaggy little creature wanders through the sylvan night, sticking its nose in one place, then another, seeking the aroma of its soft-bodied dinner.
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