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In Australia, a man was arrested this week after a manhunt for catching a wild platypus. The man showed the animal on the train and in shops. He faces a hefty fine.
Platypus are protected in Australia because they are threatened with extinction. Capturing them and holding them captive is a crime.
The man was filmed by security cameras as he boarded the train with a woman and the platypus. Australian police say the couple let other people pet the platypus.
According to the body, this behavior is risky for the platypus. For example, the animal can experience a lot of stress and contract diseases. There are also risks for humans: male platypus have a kind of poisonous thorn on their hind legs. The pain of such a sting is comparable to the pain of hundreds of wasp stings.
The man is accused of having taken and captured a protected animal. He now faces a fine of 430,000 Australian dollars (about 264,000 euros). He is due in court on Saturday. Officers also spoke to the woman he was with. It is not known if she is also a suspect.
The current location of the platypus is unclear. Police have received reports that the animal was released into a river, writes BBC News.
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