WILDLIFE That’s not a baby platypus,  this is a baby platypus

There’s strangely no shortage of sculpted baby platypuses in the world, and time and time again we fall for those exaggerated, humanised features.

A real baby platypus, which is actually known as a puggle, has teeny-tiny eyes, a flat head and silky-smooth looking short hair. And hey, we think they’re pretty cute, even if they don’t look like baby Yoda.

One of the most famous of these sculptures is Serbian artist Vladimir Matić-Kuriljov’s ‘platypus baby’.  It really does look like a weird amalgamation of an echidna and platypus puggle.

Then there was this sculpture by Russian toy artist Yuliya Leonovich, made from wool, polymer and clay. We’re willing to allow some concessions with this one as the artificial fur is deceiving.

Russian doll maker  Oso Polar made this “baby platypus” with a giant head in addition  to teddy-bear-like fur.  It's just downright ridiculous.

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