Lu Ao nodded. "Ask first. If it's male, everyone will need to be prepared in advance when they encounter it."
Xiang Xingchang was familiar with the person at the zoo in charge of this matter. With one phone call, the other party took the issue very seriously.
However, the person in charge genuinely hadn't known that the Platypus species had males and females, or that males were venomous.
After going through quite a few channels, the person in charge finally got the answer and told Xiang Xingchang that it was an adult male Platypus.
The volunteers around the table all found the news rather troublesome.
A semiaquatic animal had escaped somewhere in the city, and it had a certain capacity to attack. No one knew when it might be spotted. It was truly a headache.
Someone voiced a doubt. "The zoo's cages are so secure. How could a Platypus have escaped?"
Xiang Xingchang shook his head. "I'm not too sure either. I heard it was seen running along the road, around the Jiannanbei Road section."
"Isn't that stretch by the moat? Could it have gone into the river? If it hides in there, how are people supposed to find it?"
"No one's asking us to carry out a proper carpet search. Just keep an eye out if you spot it when you come volunteer next time."
Lu Ao asked, "Are there any recent river-cleaning projects?"
"Yes, but that work is generally handled by government departments. We only assist from the side. There are mainly two events in November right now. One is diving on November 19 to collect trash from the seabed. The other is on November 27, when we plan to visit the elderly and children left behind on Tuling Island, help repair their houses, and clean up."
Xiang