Resilient platypus a flood survivor

The breeding population is believed to be the only one below Echuca along the Murray Valley.

Mr Rowlands has snapped six of the mammals in the Gunbower wetlands recently.

Geoff Williams from the Australian Platypus Conservancy said the platypus is a robust mammal which has developed to cope well with Australian climate conditions, including floods.

While the major flooding from last year may have disrupted some mating and nesting behaviours, past evidence indicates that platypuses move about to cope with changing flows and river levels.

Noting the six platypuses seen by Mr Rowlands, Mr Williams believes it may be heralding the start of the mating season where males actively compete with each other to win the affections of females.

“Over the next few weeks you can expect to see some courting behaviour, including the fighting by the males.”

Females will then establish a new burrow (it is believed they make new ones each year) and build a nest for the eggs which will be laid in October. The juveniles are expected to emerge in January or February.

“There is little evidence that floods have a major impact on their populations, although there can be exceptions. For example, if the floods occurred in the middle of summer when relatively inexperienced juveniles might be impacted. Or, another time might be during the mating season,” Mr Williams said.

“But they haven’t survived for millions of years without being able to cope with floods and fires whatever the landscape throws at them.”

Anyone sighting a platypus can report it to the Australian Platypus Conservancy at: https://platypus.asn.au