Can you name what’s on the reverse side of a standard twenty-cent Australia coin?

That’s right, the platypus!

Spending 10 to 12 hours each day in the water and diving about 75 times per hour, the platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) certainly qualifies as a water lover.

North Queensland and South Queensland students accompany their field guides for the opportunity to spot a platypus in the wild. The extremely shy animals are harder to see than expected.

Since platypuses are most active at night, spotting them at dusk or dawn are the most successful times.

So if students are lucky to see the platypus, what’s the biggest surprise? It’s the tiny size of the creature. Weighing in at three pounds and measuring only 20 inches, according to National Geographic’s animal facts, many students can’t stop talking about how cute they are.

Best of luck platypus spotting next time you’re in Queensland!