Police have arrested a man in connection to a platypus taken from its natural habitat on Tuesday morning.

A hunt for a man and a woman, as well as the platypus, was sparked after the pair was allegedly caught on CCTV showing the creature to people on a train.

Police said the pair boarded a train at Morayfield Station in Queensland with the animal wrapped in a towel, patting it and showing it to fellow commuters.

They then allegedly took it to the King Street shopping center at Caboolture where they allegedly showed it to more members of the public.

It’s alleged the animal was taken from the wild in Queensland’s Moreton district at about 11 am on Tuesday.

A 26-year-old man has been apprehended over the incident, charged with one count each of taking protected animal class 1 offense and restriction on keeping or using taken protected animal class 1 offense.

The unlawful taking and keeping of a Platypus from the wild is a Class 1 offense under section 88 of the Nature Conservation Act 1992, which carries a maximum penalty of $288,077.

A woman has spoken to the police and investigations are ongoing.

Police have been told the animal was released into the Caboolture River, away from where it was taken.

It has not yet been located by authorities and its condition is unknown.

The platypus may become sick, be diseased, or die the longer it is out of its natural environment.

The story of the incident has gone viral around the world and has made headlines in the United States, Singapore, and the United Kingdom.

Anyone who sees a sick or injured platypus is urged to report it to the RSPCA at 1300 ANIMAL (1300 264 625) or to the Department of Environment and Science (DES) at 1300 130 372.

Police have urged anyone who comes into contact with it to not feed it or introduce it to a new environment as it may put people or the animal in danger.

“Taking a platypus from the wild is not only illegal, but it can be dangerous for both the displaced animal and the person involved if the platypus is male, as they have venomous spurs,” a police spokesperson said.

Platypus venom is not lethal to humans but causes extreme pain.