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.
Kentlyn platypus find is bittersweet
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.
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 bittersweet24 Oct, 2011 04:05 PM
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.
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