The Australian Conservation Foundation is asking people to become ‘citizen scientists’ this September and head to their local creeks and rivers to see if they can spot a platypus.
ACF nature campaigner Jess Abrahams said it was known that the platypus had a wide distribution across the east coast – from northern Queensland to southern Tasmania – but there wasn’t a lot of data about which specific waterways platypuses lived in, or where populations might be in decline, or even if there had been local extinctions.
“Filling these knowledge gaps is a big job, so researchers are asking for the community’s help,” Mr Abrahams said.
“We’ve put together a map that shows the species’ range and where platypuses have been sighted in the past.
“The map includes several documented platypus sightings in creeks and rivers around Castlemaine – specifically in Campbells Creek south of Castlemaine town and in the Coliban River at Taradale and Malmsbury.
“It would be good to know if there are still platypuses living there.”
ACF is asking people to use the map to identify priority areas near them – then head out to see if they can spot a platypus and log their sightings with the Platy-project.
To register and find out more, head to www.acf.org.au/platy-project