Baby Platypus isn't alive. It was never born, and those adorably squinty little eyes do not actually see.
Baby Platypus was made. Not by parents, but by human hands. It is actually a small sculpture made by Serbian fantasy artist Vladimir Matić-Kuriljov.
"The description of the piece on my ArtStation post clearly says [it's a sculpture], it's just the title that turned out to be misleading – 'Stone Platypus Baby'," Matić-Kuriljov told IFLScience.
Nonetheless, misinterpreted it was, as the little idol rippled across the internet. The fact that it went viral is just another reminder of how easily mistruths, hoaxes, and distortions can spread on social media.
Baby platypuses - known as puggles - are born from eggs, but will also suckle on the mother once hatched, making them rare amongst a tiny handful of creatures who do this.
Once they grow older, they gain a venomous spur on their hind foot, which also places them amongst the few venomous mammals found on Earth.
