Aussie Ark returns Platypus to the Wild after Bushfire Rescue

Platypus were among the five species rescued by Aussie Ark staff during Australia’s 2019/2020 bushfire crisis,  in which an estimated one billion animals are thought to have perished. With rains now falling and river systems repairing, Aussie Ark has been out releasing the animals back into the waters they were rescued from.

Each waterway the platypus was collected from has been carefully surveyed to establish water quality, abundance of food and disease in preparation for the release.

During Australia’s bushfire crisis, Aussie Ark staff were in the field providing supplementary food sources, relocating animals and bringing into care those that needed veterinary attention. The rescued Platypus individuals were severely malnourished, and their pelts were showing signs of extreme distress. The animals were found in muddy pools of water no bigger than backyard swimming pools and were essentially swimming in their own faecal matter. They sadly had little to no food available and rising water temperatures threatening their lives.

Aussie Ark President Tim Faulkner said of the rescues “It was heartbreaking to see our unique Platypus suffering, they are such a beautiful species. They were swimming up and down the small water holes they still had left in search of food with nowhere else to go.

“Platypus are notoriously shy, and it is highly unusual for them to be so out in the open like they were, the fires would have driven them to do this.”

Commenting on the release, Faulkner noted “this is the moment we have worked for. These wacky creatures belong in the wild and that is exactly where we want to see them.

“Unfortunately, it is just not the case of releasing them back where they came from once the fires died down. Waterways suffer so much after fire, the ash, debris and silt run straight into our rivers, choking them. We needed to ensure that we were releasing them into an environment that was healthy and recovered.”

Aussie Ark will continue to monitor the waterways to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the animals, and that no further intervention is needed. Australia’s wildlife is truly resilient, and this tale of recovery is proof of their ability to come back.

More information at www.aussieark.org.au

Image: Aussie Ark President Tim Faulkner releasing platypus. Credit Aussie Ark