The first results from a comprehensive study of the health and abundance of the platypus population in the Murrumbidgee catchment in eastern Australia show that despite a tough environment, platypuses continue to survive.

 

Charles Sturt University (CSU) researcher in the School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Dr Joanne Connolly is leading the charge to uncover the lifestyle of this shy, nocturnal mammal.

 

Last year Dr Connolly and Honours student Mr Tom Claridge spent 25 nights setting and retrieving nets at 22 sites, from the head waters of the catchment in the Kosciuszko National Park to Narrandera in the Riverina region of NSW, yielding 28 platypuses.

 

The unique Australian mammals were miro-chipped to provide for future identification; had a blood sample taken; were weighed, measured, aged; and were examined for external, faecal and blood parasites.

 

The year-long survey, which began in February 2009, is a way of gathering consistent information about their abundance, physical condition and habitat in farming, semi-urban and undisturbed habitats.

 

“Research results have shown that the platypus is coping in a range of habitats - even in the outer suburbs of the regional NSW city of Wagga Wagga - and degraded environments where European carp prosper, where one would question whether they could survive,” Dr Connolly said.

 

One area of concern is the impact on the animal’s food source of high turbidity or sedimentation in rivers.

 

“Platypus habitat requirements include stable banks for burrows and a water body with sufficient food supplies. Platypus seem to live in streams with either regulated and unregulated flows and it will take some more study to see if they move between streams when the flow rate is high. For example, they may move into a slower flowing tributary when there’s been a release into the Murrumbidgee from an upstream dam.”

 

Only one study was done on the platypus in the Murrumbidgee in the early 1970s so there’s little knowledge other than what can be gleaned anecdotally from farmers. Platypuses are not endangered at a national level, but Dr Connolly says local extinctions can occur and these wouldn’t be discovered until it is too late.

 

“We’ve relied on sightings and the historical records of landholders along the Murrumbidgee as well as records from the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, NSW Fisheries and Environment ACT to inform us about potential sites and this has been mostly positive.

 

“With more funding we intend to revisit these sites yearly and with the playpuses now microchipped, we will be able to track their continuing presence, turning this into a longitudinal study,” Dr Connolly said.