Some aboriginal tribes hunted the platypus, but the
species was not considered to be very good tucker. Following European settlement,
many thousands of platypus were killed for their fur. While the species
is now completely protected by law, it is ultimately up to the community
to keep the platypus's habitat clean and minimise problems arising from recreational
fishing.
Threats from litter
One environmental problem that everyone can help to
solve is the threat that litter poses to platypus. Research has shown on
average 10% of the animals living in suburban waterways have something caught
around their body, with the entanglement rate being as high as 60% in some
areas. In addition, many platypus have scars on their bills and bodies
which may have been caused by encounters with sharp objects in the water,
such as broken glass, sharp pieces of metal or discarded wire.
Many different kinds of litter have been found tangled
around platypus, including elastic bands of various widths, a rubber canning
jar seal, loops of nylon fishing line, a rectangular rubber gasket from
an engine, a loop of elastic ribbon from a garment cuff, and a plastic ring
of the type used to make a tamper-proof seal around the mouth of food jars.
In most cases, these materials either have been wrapped around the neck
or diagonally around an animal's chest, from in front of one shoulder to
behind the opposite foreleg.
Items of litter fabricated from plastic (including nylon
fishing line and a ring seal from a glass jar) are known to be responsible
for potentially life-threatening injuries. In the case of one unfortunate
platypus found entangled in a loop of fishing line, the material had cut
deeply into the skin under the neck, creating a lesion 3-4 millimetres wide.
At least four other platypus have been recorded with scars apparently resulting
from similar injuries; in one, a disintegrating piece of fishing line was
still adhering to the animal's neck.
Platypus found with a plastic
ring around its neck
The platypus entangled in a plastic ring from a food
jar was carrying the item bandolier-fashion, from in front of the right shoulder
to behind the left foreleg. The rough edge of the ring had cut deeply into
the skin just behind the leg and the left front foot was badly swollen,
affecting the animal's posture and movement.
In another example of a litter-related problem, a starving
platypus was found with a section of PVC pipe caught around her neck. Besides
interfering with feeding, the rough edges of the pipe had created deep lacerations
where they rubbed against the animal's body. In yet another case, the body
of a dead platypus was found on the banks of the Yarra River with its front
and back feet shackled together by a plastic six-pack holder. The animal
was presumed to have drowned when it couldn't free its feet.
People can make a real difference to the risk posed
by rubbish to platypus:
* Reduce the amount of garbage you and your family produce.
* Make it a habit to pick up litter from the natural
environment.
* Cut through all plastic rings or loops before recycling
them, just in case.
* Help to organise local Creek Clean-Up projects - either
as part of Clean Up Australia Day or as an ongoing program.
* Encourage your local council to install litter traps
at major storm drains.
* Discuss litter reduction campaigns with the managers
of your local shopping centre or fast food outlet.
Other types of rubbish
Although most people wouldn't dream of tipping unwanted
furniture or machinery into waterways, some of this material is still deliberately
dumped in rivers and creeks. Old cars, refrigerators, chain saws, fire
extinguishers and waste from a building site are just some of the items
encountered during recent platypus trapping surveys around Melbourne. The
oil from one car engine (4-6 litres) can create an oil slick over a surface
area of 2 to 3 hectares! Clearly, dumping one car or other piece of large
machinery in a small creek can lead to a significant local environmental
disaster.
In some cases, rubbish ends up dumped in waterways because
tip fees are perceived as too expensive or tip hours are seen as inconvenient.
If this situation applies to your area, ask your local council to review
its policy on disposal of large items, including unwanted vehicles. As
well, make certain that your council removes such objects promptly from
waterways, to minimise harmful consequences.
Fishing line and fishing nets
Watching a platypus dive for food in a quiet pool is
often an added bonus for anglers as they patiently wait for a fish to bite.
Unfortunately, a number of platypus are killed or injured each year as a
consequence of fishing activities. In most cases, these incidents could easily
be avoided.
* Retrieve tangled fishing line (belonging to you or
left by other people) from the banks or water - if left in the natural environment,
this material is potentially lethal to a wide range of birds and mammals,
including platypus. In one particularly horrific example from Lake Learmonth
in VIctoria, a single loop of nylon fishing line that had become tangled
around the chest of a male platypus slowly sawed its way through his muscles
and ribs, eventually opening up the lung cavity and killing him.
* Platypus drown easily in some types of fishing nets,
including weighted gill nets and submerged drum and eel nets, and can also
die after being caught on unattended "night lines". If you think you have
found an illegal fishing net or line, please report it promptly to your
local state wildlife authority. However, don't disturb or damage the net
- in one case, a drum net that had been set by fish researchers in a manner
that was harmless to platypus became a lethal trap when it was tossed into
a deep pool by well-meaning bushwalkers.
* When fyke nets are used for licensed eel fishing,
they should be fitted with mesh panels to exclude platypus and preferably
be set so that at least part of the non-return end chamber is above the
water (allowing a platypus to breathe if it does enter).
* Anglers sometimes hook a platypus accidentally - mainly
by the bill, though occasionally by a webbed front foot. Cutting the line
and leaving the hook embedded in the animal may well result in its death.
Alternatively, reel in the platypus and restrain it in a bag or by holding
it down against the ground before carefully removing the hook - or have
the problem attended to by a veterinarian.
