Can you tell the age of a platypus by the size of its bill?

The size of the bill of a platypus changes as it grows from infancy to adulthood, but it is not a reliable indicator of age. A platypus can live up to 17 years in the wild, and its bill continues to grow throughout its life. The bill is used for many purposes like detecting the electric fields created by the movements of its prey in water.

Scientists use other methods to determine the age of a platypus, such as measuring its body length, examining teeth and bones, and extracting DNA from blood or feathers. The age of a platypus population can also be estimated by counting its growth layers in its teeth or bones.

It's worth noting that platypuses are unique creatures, and science is still discovering new things about them. Every platypus has its own growth patterns, and there are no standardized ways to determine their age.