The platypus , a species unique to Australia, made a significant return to the country’s oldest national park located just south of Sydney as part of a groundbreaking conservation project. The species had vanished from the area more than half a century ago.
Renowned for its bill, webbed feet, and venomous spurs, the platypus is one of the world’s two egg-laying mammals and predominantly inhabits the water during nighttime. Due to its elusive nature and specific habitat requirements, the majority of Australians have never had the opportunity to encounter a platypus in its natural environment.
The relocation is a collaborative effort between the University of New South Wales (UNSW), Taronga Conservation Society Australia, WWF-Australia and the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service.
Royal National Park
On Friday, the conservationists released four females into the Royal National Park, which they established in 1879 and holds the distinction of being the second oldest national park in the world.
People have not reported any confirmed sightings of platypuses in the park, located approximately 35 kilometers or a one-hour drive south of Sydney, since the 1970s.
The relocation coincides with a period when the platypus faces growing threats, including habitat destruction, river degradation, feral predators, and extreme weather events like droughts and bushfires.
Estimates on the current population vary widely, from 30,000 to some 300,000.
“(It is) very exciting for us to see platypuses come back into the park, for a thriving population here to establish themselves and for Sydneysiders to come and enjoy this amazing animal,” said Gilad Bino, a researcher from UNSW’S Centre for Ecosystem Science.
Before relocation, the researchers collected the platypuses from multiple locations across south-eastern New South Wales state, where they reside along Australia’s east coast and in Tasmania. The collected platypuses underwent various tests as part of the process.
Researchers stated that they will track each platypus over the next two years to gain a better understanding of how to intervene and relocate the species in case of drought, bushfire, or flood.