In January Northern NSW
received a large amount of rainfall, enough to create flood conditions
in many areas, including the river system where this juvenile
Platypus was found.
When a creek or river floods
in a situation like this, 300 millimeters in less than 24 hours,
the rush of the water is frightening to say the least, huge trees,
boulders, branches, anything that can move gets pushed along in
the water at amazing speed.
2 young gentlemen were
out in their canoe in the receding flood waters, when they spotted
this young Platypus washed up on the
bank of the creek. Realising it was in trouble and only a juvenile
they collected it, wrapped it in something warm and called for
help as soon as they got home.
Receiving this animal in
to care early that evening, we realised how little we knew about
this species, and how little is actually available on how to care
for them, even within wildlife care groups.
We made numerous phone
calls that evening trying to find information on age, feeding
procedures, temperature if any to keep it at , in fact anything
at all to help this young 358 gram animal, so obviously in trouble.
It had a great number of ticks all over its body, and I was worried
by a rattle on its chest when breathing.
We did receive quite a
lot of information over the phone, specially on older Platypus,
but not enough to feel confident that we were able to give the
care needed for this very young Platypus to recover, and eventually
release it back to the wild.
Now to find the right place
to take it to.
That did not prove too
difficult, all the people we had spoken to referred us back to
the same place, Fleays Fauna park in Southern Queensland, and
in particular one lady, that have successfully reared Platypus
in the past. Unfortunately she was not available on this particular
day, so it was recommended that we take our little orphan to Currumbin
Sanctuary Wildlife Hospital, also in Southern Qld. Here it would
be placed in intensive care untill the Platypus carer could be
contacted to take charge of the little critter.
We received a phone call
4 days later, that our little orphan could come home, she had
recovered from exhaustion, her breathing was normal, and she was
eating well.
I drove back up to Currumbin,
and was extremely grateful to be taught how to assess and care
for this species.Very few people
have had success in hand rearing Platypus, this lady has, and
willingly passed on her knowledge.
The release process had
to be adhered to making sure this little orphan would have the
best chance of survival. We would have to find a spot where we
would be able to monitor her progress over the next month with
plenty of food, and cover for her to hide under when out in the
water.
Our Platypus turned out
to be a female, 4 months old. At this age they have emerged from
the burrow, and are now independent of the parent. She was however
not yet able to dig her own burrow, so we had to supply her an
artificial one, this was done without delay, and our little orphan
was released that same evening at dusk. We made our way through
the dense bush reaching the creek, the water still quite high
from the recent floods, waded through the water up to our chest
to reach the other side of the bank, where the undergrowth was
thick enough to place her artificial burrow hidden from predators,
yet giving her easy access to the water.When
placing her inside the burrow she did not take long to explore
her new surroundings, then slide quietly out, make her way in
to the water.
What a thrill to watch her
swim close to the bank exploring, once again wild and free
.
