Going to the zoo can be a very fun trip for the family. It helps teach kids about the many types of animals and how they are different and how they are similar. One example of animals that are similar but have distinct differences are lions and platypuses. First off, both lions and platypuses have many things in common. The most likely connection most people will make between the two animals is their classification of Mammalia. Being a mammal indicates that the animal under that classification is warm blooded and has hair or fur. Both of these animals have fur and are warm blooded. The two animals also share a common food type. The platypus eats mostly mollusks and the lion eats meat from dead animals, classifying the pair as carnivores.…show more content… Upon first glance they first thing someone may see is the shape, size and color of these animals are definitely not the same. Lions are a yellowish tan color, have manes and a mouth full of teeth. A platypus on the other hand has none of those features. They sport a dark brown bill, thick brown fur and a large beaver-like tail. Another difference between the two would be their weapon of choice against prey and predators. Male platypuses have a venomous spine in which they use to defend themselves with. They also have a powerful bill that helps them crack open the shells of the mollusks they hunt. Lions clearly do not have bills nor do they have a venomous spine. They primarily use their razor-sharp claws and teeth to kill prey and to fight of other animals. Platypuses and lions may have many physical differences but let’s not forget about where they live. While lions live on the African savannah and spend almost their whole lives never swimming, platypuses spend almost all their time swimming and catching prey. They do spend a good amount of time on land finding mates and breeding. One last difference between lions and platypuses is their child birth. While by definition all mammals give birth to live young and feed those young with milk from the mother, platypuses are a special exception. They are one of two mammals to lay eggs and wait for them to hatch. Lions are the