Australia is home to the unique and mysterious platypus, but there is limited information about their population numbers. Experts are concerned that without accurate data, these fascinating creatures could be facing further endangerment. However, a citizen science project is helping to fill in the gaps and study how recent fires and floods have affected them.
Australians living near creeks and rivers are being encouraged to participate in this project to gain a better understanding of the platypus population and their range. Although it is challenging to study platypuses due to their shy and solitary nature, the first effort in 2022 successfully spotted 860 individuals across various regions, including Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, and Kangaroo Island.
The Platy-project is a collaboration between the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) and the University of NSW’s Centre for Ecosystem Science. Jess Abrahams, an ACF nature campaigner, emphasizes the importance of identifying areas where platypuses are thriving or struggling, especially with the anticipation of another dry spell due to El Nino. The impact of previous bushfires has already led to a 14 to 18 percent decline in platypus populations in affected areas.
There is a great deal of uncertainty surrounding the platypus population. According to UNSW conservation ecologist Gilad Bino, their numbers could range anywhere from 50,000 to 300,000. Unfortunately, there is no national or state-level monitoring system in place for these creatures, despite evidence of declining populations in urban areas like Melbourne. Localized extinctions have also occurred in Brisbane and parts of the Murray-Darling river system.
The Platy-project aims to gather more information about the remaining platypus populations. Bino hopes that Australians will join this initiative to contribute to our understanding of where these creatures still exist and in what numbers. He fears that while the platypus may not disappear entirely, many people will witness their disappearance from their local rivers, which is a cause for concern.
The platypus is considered endangered in South Australia and vulnerable in Victoria, but it has not yet been classified as a threatened species under federal laws due to the uncertainty surrounding the criteria for a 30 percent decline. Bino stresses the importance of collecting better data, and he recently took Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek on platypus surveys to demonstrate this necessity. He believes that a systematic approach to surveying rivers is needed to gather essential information and calls for greater political will to support such efforts.
The environment department, in response to questions from AAP, acknowledges the significance of reliable data in improving the prospects of the platypus. The Australian government has already invested more than $16 million in platypus conservation activities, including habitat restoration, protection, threat management, and research, following the devastating Black Summer bushfires.