In 1947, there were only two platypuses in AmericaPenelope and Cecil.
They were brought to New Yorks Bronx Zoo all the way from Australia where the mammals are endemic to.
But heres the thingplatypuses are not quite mammals.
Although their blood is warm and they have mammal-like fur, they lay eggs like reptiles.
Only after about four months do the young emerge from the burrow.
A wild platypus in a creek in Tasmania, Australia.
Photo credit:Klaus/Flickr
Very few people have seen platypuses breed.
The Bronx curators were determined to learn all they could by making Penelope and Cecil mate.
They slept throughout the day, with an hours break for visitors.
But Penelope was not interested.
At times Cecil would let go and roll over and over in the water.
Penelope definitely did not like Cecil.
One time, the zookeepers placed Cecil in Penelope’s half of the platypusary.
The next year, during breeding season, the zookeepers tried again.
When the curators provided her with eucalyptus leaves, Penelope took them into the burrow.
Since wild platypuses make their breeding nests out of just such leaves, the curators grew hopeful.
A few weeks later, Penelope retreated to her burrow and remained there for six days.
When she emerged, she ate an enormous meal and went back to her retreat.
The zookeepers were convinced Penelope was pregnant and ready to lay eggs.
Penelope began eating larger and larger quantities of worms and larvae.
All the signs pointed to platypus eggs, perhaps even hairless platypus infants wriggling in the nest.
Then the weather turned for the worse unexpectedly and zoo officials feared that the cold might hurt the babies.
They decided that they should wait no longer.
After several hours of digging, they found a web link of burrows but no leafy nest.
There were no platykittens.
The zookeepers had been befooled by a platypus.
She’s a faker, one of them said.
No more of that for her, they said.
Zoo officials searched the nearby waters for nearly two weeks, but Penelope was never found.
Cecil appeared affected by her disappearance.
He spent considerable time scratching his head, an activity he had never done before.
He lost weight and died one day after the search for Penelope was called off.
All three died within the first year.
They are the only platypuses on display outside of Australia.
