Platypus sets record with Healesville to Warburton swim
A three-year-old platypus has made an amazing trek across the Yarra Valley, which authorities say is the longest recorded for the tiny species.
Outer East
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Move over Aussie Dolphins, a Yarra Ranges platypus is the newest swimming sensation after setting a long-distance record.
Rover was first captured as a baby in Chum Creek in 2016 and was recently been recaptured in Warburton — 55km away.
Melbourne Water environmental water resources planner Tiana Preston said this was the longest journey recorded by a platypus in Melbourne in the 20 years the authority has been recording such figures.
“The platypus was first captured as a baby in Chum Creek near Healesville in 2016,” Ms Preston said.
“It was then recaptured at the same site as an adolescent in early 2017, then turned up in the Yarra River near Warburton.’’
She said it was highly unusual to have had such success tracking the same platypus across such a vast area.
Lilydale & Yarra Valley Leader previously reported platypus and other wildlife were being killed by controversial homemade yabby traps littering Melbourne waterways.
Ms Preston said while the creatures were found in rivers and creeks, they were increasingly under threat from urbanisation and climate change.
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“As well as this they are shy creatures so it’s difficult to gather first-hand detail on their numbers and health,’’ she said.
“With the community’s help we can build our knowledge of local platypus populations and manage our waterways to support them into the future.”
Ms Preston said other ways to help platypus include: picking up litter — hair bands were one of the biggest threats to the tiny creatures; never using opera nets, which can drown wildlife; always picking up fishing line; and never putting anything down a storm water drain.