Platypus watch launched

Chronicle launches Platypus Watch with National Parks

BY DAVID CAMPBELL

31 OCT 11 @ 04:07PM

THE Chronicle has partnered with the National Parks Association Macarthur branch to launch a new project along the Georges River called Platypus Watch.

The campaign will aim to record one of the first live sightings of platypus along the river between Kentlyn and Appin in decades. The establishment of Platypus Watch follows the discovery of a dead male platypus in the Georges River near Kentlyn on October 17.

National Parks Association member Beth Michie said all residents were encouraged to take part in the monthly surveys. “There’s been so much anecdotal evidence in the past without any hard results to confirm sightings of live platypus in the river,” she said.
“The surveys will help us collect the information needed to detect the difference between things like a water rat and a platypus.”

People interested in taking part in Platypus Watch only need to watch a 20-minute video showing what to look out for. The short training video will be shown as part of the next heritage nature talk at Campbelltown Arts Centre on Wednesday, November 9 at 7.30pm.

If you’d like to take part or register your interest in Platypus Watch, email threatenedspecies@ex email.com.au

Platypus makes the headlines

On return from holidays we found both local papers had our platypus discovery on the front page.

Platypus found near Kentlyn is proof

BY MEGAN GORREY

26 Oct, 2011 01:00 AM

THE good news is a platypus discovered in the Georges River at Kentlyn last week is the first confirmed sighting in the area in years. The bad news is that the platypus was found dead.

It had swallowed a fishing hook and thick fishing line had wrapped around its throat. Local koala expert and Advertiser columnist Robert Close said a bushwalker found the large male floating in the river last Monday.

Dr Close said the iconic creatures were rarely found in the area and several past sightings were unconfirmed.

"This one is a verified report. To have an actual body is confirmation of the sighting."

National Parks Association Macarthur branch member Julie Sheppard said the fact the animal was dead was "tragic" but it left hope there would be more live sightings down the track.

She said branch members, together with leading platypus biologist Dr Tom Grant, organised a community watch over two weekends in 2009 but did not find any concrete evidence of the creatures.

"We've always thought they were there — we've had anecdotal reports of platypuses in the Georges River for 30 years, but have never actually been able to confirm they were there. "This confirms it so in that way it's fantastic, but they must be in very low numbers given there have been so few sightings; so to lose one in this way is just tragic. "Knowing there are species like that near Campbelltown — it's more reason to look after the Georges River. We've got these koalas and platypuses on our doorstep." Ms Sheppard said the animal's death was an important reminder for people to take rubbish and fishing waste away with them when they visited the river.

Campbelltown councillor Julie Bourke raised the matter at last week's council meeting and called on the council to re-examine signs along the river.

"As a matter of course if people are there with their fishing gear, especially lines and hooks, they should take them away with them," Cr Bourke said. "It's about being aware — I'm sure people would be horrified to hear their leftover lines had caused the death of a platypus."

Kentlyn platypus find is bittersweet

BY DAVID CAMPBELL

24 Oct, 2011 04:05 PM

THE discovery of a dead platypus in the Georges River at Kentlyn has sparked hope live sightings might be possible in the future. The fully-grown male platypus was found about 5km upstream from Freres Crossing last Monday with fishing line down its throat and wrapped around its bill.
Campbelltown koala expert and environmentalist Robert Close said the platypus find was the first discovery he’d heard of locally in the Georges River for about four or five years.
“A local resident who does a lot of bushwalking just happened to notice it in the river with a fishing line wrapped around its bill,” he said. “It must have drowned eventually, which is unfortunate.”
 National Parks and Wildlife Association Macarthur branch member Beth Michie, of Kentlyn, said not even an extensive platypus survey four years ago resulted in any verified sightings of platypus along the Georges River from Appin to Macquarie Fields.
 “It’s good to hear they might be there but tragic that it was dead, particularly due to human interference,” she said.
“I rack my brain sometimes to figure out where we just might see them because by all rights they should be here.”
 Mrs Michie said a new platypus survey should be carried out.

The tide delivers a turtle

Rosco investigates

It was a windy and cold day as we made our way along Jimmy’s Beach at Hawks Nest. The tide was out so the walking was easy and we went for miles. A lump was spotted up in the dunes as we got closer Rosco went over and identified a turtle. Unfortunately it was dead, maybe for a few days.  It was about a metre long and had very nice patterns on its back.  When Stephen lifted it up is was very heavy.

Once back in our holiday house we spent some time trying to identify what type of turtle it was. Basically 3 types of turtles are in the area, only two are the correct size. An identification chart helped determine it was a green turtle. The actual life expectancy of turtles in the wild is unknown, I wonder how old this one was?

Plovers are pretty cute

Another windy day in Hawks Nest and Stephen stalked a family of Red-capped Plovers. There was a male and female, plus a fluffy chick about the size of 20 cent piece. As we walked through the beach dunes it was fascinating watching their protective behaviour, darting away from the chick and doing the wounded bird trick to lure us into a different direction.

Diamonds are forever

On our first night in Hawks Nest we went to the beach head to explore. On the way there we found a Diamond Python stretched out across the road absorbing the last heat of the day. Stephen jumped out and quickly saved the python from getting run over by a car. Two cars went by, one guy horrified with his hands around his head and shaking at the thought of touching a python another stopped and said "good on you, mate" as another python had got run over close by last week.

First reactions

At 11am the following day we received the call from Rob about retrieving the platypus. Stephen and Rosco set off on the mission armed with one plastic bag. It was a smelly walk back up the hill to the car with the platypus body. Rob then came to our house to collect. His plan is to put into a polystyrene box with straw and let the body decompose. The skull will then be sent to the Australian Museum with us as the finders. Tom Grant a platypus expert was also notified.

The world's strangest animal

What we found

Often we climb down to the different sections of the Georges River, for a swim, to see the birds or just catch a bit of sun. This Sunday we where going along the rock ledges and went just a little bit further to see a bird and there in the water about 2 metres from the edge was an unusual lump. The bill made us both realise at the same time this was a platypus!

Stephen retrieves the platypus

Albeit tangled in fishing line and dead. Stephen quickly jumped in the water and retrieved it. When he got it back to shore we could see how the fishing line was stuck around its bill and bits of the fur where coming off as it was decomposing. 

Fishing line well and truly lodged

Not a pretty sight and very smelly. But an important discovery.  We then sent off the photos to Rob the local koala expert. Little did we know where this would lead.

The location - Georges River, Kentlyn
S34°04.941' E150°51.868'

Whose eggs are these?

Today was cloudy and overcast as we set off for a walk at Tahmoor Canyon. However as the day progressed it turned out bright and sunny, a perfect spring day. The track had been changed and improved in spots. Mermaid Pools as always looked spectacular with lots of water pumping through. I had high hopes of spotting a few lizards but Rosco and Stephen spotted most of them.

When we where down in the canyon we came across a brown bird that quickly flew away from a nest right on the track. The nest revealed 4 bluey eggs with brown markings. Much excitement. Once home we did a bit of investigation and discovered they where Blackbird eggs - that was a bit of a disappointment. But it did lead to a new book discovery, Australian Birds: their nests and eggs by Gordon Beruldsen which is now part of our library.