I thought you might like these photos.
They were shot by my dear childhood friend Alan Lesheim where he lives in Tasmania. These are of some platypus swimming in a pond opposite his home there.
Alan is a professional photographer, actively engaged in efforts to reduce the destruction of old growth forests in Tasmania. He said in forty years of photography this was the first time he had managed to get some shots of this mysterious and elusive creature. According to Alan, usually as soon as they see you they are gone. It took him two hours of stealth to get these shots, and the next day the animals were gone.
Platypus are one of only five surviving types of monotremes, or mammals that lay eggs (though I have seen some bad comedians that might qualify). Platypus are only found in Australia where their survival status is good and the species is not threatened. An amazing creature, the platypus has a fur covered body, webbed feet and a bill like that of a duck. They are carnivores, spending many hours each day in the water foraging for worms, insects and small shrimp. The average platypus weighs in between 1.5 and 5 lbs.
Though as a species the platypus is not threatened, many other animals are, and species disappear from our planet with a sad regularity for a variety of reasons but unfortunately most of these reasons are man made. When we visit schools with our school assembly Animals and the Environment one of the features is a discussion of the various ways in which activities of humans are undermining the survivability of various species globally. Habitat destruction is of course a key ingredient in this deadly game, as is pollution and poaching. I recently heard a radio report detailing how the rise in buying power among various Asian and Middle Eastern  nations has led to a spike in the demand for Rhino horn. The horns of Rhinoceros are widely coveted in Middle Eastern nations for dagger hilts, while in China and other Asian countries the horns are widely prescribed in the medical treatment of many ailments. As a result, the illegal poaching of these magnificent beasts has become so profitable and rampant that their survival is seriously threatened.
Protecting the environment is of fundamental importance in our stewardship of this planet. Sadly economic interests often clash with our higher goals. In Tasmania, our friend Alan works every day in this very field, trying to preserve the ancient forests of that wild island. Here at home, we work every day educating children in the issues of survival for the animals of this world through school assemblies such as Animals and the Environment.
Just for reference, here is a shot Alan did not take, but which shows a little more clearly what these wonderful critters are like.


Geoff Beauchamp is the Regional Manager of Mobile Ed Productions where "Education Through Entertainment" has been the guiding principal since 1979. Mobile Ed Productions produces and markets quality educational  school assembly programs in the fields of science, history, writing, astronomy, natural science, mathematics, character issues and a variety of other curriculum based areas. In addition, Mr. Beauchamp is a professional actor with 30 years of experience in film, television and on stage. He created and still performs occasionally in Mobile Ed's  THE LIVING LINCOLN