Worrying plummet in platypus numbers

A SURVEY of platypus numbers has scientists concerned the Australian icon has suffered a significant decline since European colonisation.

The Australian Research Council collected historical data about platypus numbers and distribution and conducted river catches to analyse the risks facing the species.

The data revealed declines of up to 30 per cent across the platypus habitats since European settlement and localised extinctions appear to be increasing.

“We have great concerns about the future survival of this unique species,” project lead Richard Kingsford said yesterday.

River regulation and flow disruption, agriculture, pollution and yabby nets are all considered factors behind the declines, Professor Kingsford added.

The animal’s elusive nature has also made it historically difficult to determine what a healthy population baseline is, the study suggests. This means many experts and researchers have underestimated the decline in numbers over the years.

“Given sightings are rare, people perceive captures or sightings of just a few platypuses to be indicative of a healthy population, while historical records suggest numbers far exceeded our current observations,” PhD candidate researcher Tahneal Hawke said.