Save the platypus: Serious concerns have been raised for the platypus population in Werribee

The platypus population at a river in Melbourne’s west is under threat due to large amounts of litter and pollution. Here’s how you can help.

More than a quarter of platypus found in a river in Melbourne’s west have suffered litter-related injuries, with experts calling for better care of an “iconic” Australian animal.

The latest live-trapping surveys conducted by Australian Platypus Conservancy and Ecology Australia biologists at the Werribee River discovered several platypus entangled by rubbish and at risk of death.

One of the platypus saved last month had a plastic ring about 5cm in diameter trapped around its neck which the biologists said “would have died had we not been able to get it off before it caused serious injury”.

“A negative finding from the Werribee fieldwork involved ongoing evidence of platypus litter entanglement,” the APC survey said.

“A second female captured on the same night had deep scars on both sides of her neck — evidence of previous litter entanglement in which the item would have fortuitously come apart before the animal was killed by its worsening injuries”.

More than 1.5 per cent of platypus living near Melbourne are at risk of suffering injury or death as a result of rubbish floating in rivers, the survey found.

John Forrester from the Werribee River Association, a volunteer group that funded the platypus survey, said while it was positive to see a promising number of platypus, the threat litter poses was a “very serious issue”.

“In Australia we have what are called the five iconic animals tourism love to use and the platypus is the fifth most popular,” he said.

“It’s also very important when we’re talking about intergenerational equity. I’m very lucky to have seen platypus and held them, but children of another 20 years may, theoretically, never have the chance to see them if we continue our current rate of performance towards them.

“The last survey found four females which means there’s a great potential for a breeding population in Werribee. But 25 per cent showed signs of being affected by litter with deep cuts and rubbish around their necks”.

This platypus found during last month's survey at Werribee River had a plastic ring caught around its neck. Picture: Australian Platypus Conservancy

Platypus advocates have also called for better management of pollution flowing into rivers, coining the term “platypus-sensitive urban design” to encourage people to think about the effect of pollution going into waterways.

“Things like hair ties, the rubber bands, plastic bags … all these things have a negative effect. And then we‘re also not doing much about those oils, and greases and so on that do come off our streets as well,” Mr Forrester said.

“We do need to lift our standard of treatment”.