Despite its hard appearance is the bill of a platypus soft and very sensitive?

That is correct! The platypus's bill is indeed soft and very sensitive, despite its hard appearance. It is made of a type of cartilage that is covered with a layer of skin. The bill is highly vascularised, which means it has a lot of blood vessels, and it is covered in tiny receptors that allow the platypus to detect food and other objects in the water. This sensitivity is crucial for the platypus's survival, as it uses its bill to locate prey and navigate its underwater environment.