4th January 2007

 

This juvenile Platypus is currently in care at Wildlife Mountain, having been found on the bank of a creek, unresponsive and covered in ticks.

Mandy found this little male in the afternoon, and called for help. He was taken to the Lismore vet clinic for treatment for the ticks, and also given fluid for dehydration.

The following morning it became apparent that he was also suffering from Pneumonia, and is now being treated for that.

He is currently being tube fed as he is too weak to eat by himself.

We will keep you informed of his progress.

 

20 January 2007

 

Platypus have finally been released after 15 days in care. He was tube fed for about a week, before the antibiotics took care of his Pneumonia, he started to gain strength, and able to self feed. Finding food that he would actually eat was a challenge in itself, he would turn his bill up at just about everything he was supposed to like, but we did eventually find his favorite, small crayfish from our creek. It became a daily trek down to the creek finding cray fish. That was not too hard as there is plenty down there, and we came up with a successful way of catching them.

Housing a Platypus was something we had never had to do, so a new enclosure was constructed in a hurry. This became a challenge, as Platypuses do not have an enclosure even close to any other animal we had previously had in care. He needed a burrow,complete with resting and sleeping nest at one end, and access to the water at the other.

Help was at hand from David Fleay's Wildlife Park in SE Queensland, where they have raised Platypus in the past. We were instructed on how to make an enclosure, and how to set it up, which we did, and Platypus loved it. Here he was able to go for a swim and hunt for food put in daily. Having food in a small area, meant that the water had to be changed daily, and new food supplied.

Images above show him in his enclosure, about to enter his constructed burrow.

On a totally different note, but to show you what happens when you are dealing with animals and live in the bush, image below shows our resident carpet python looking out from the roof of what is happening. Nothing much escapes his attention, which is why we must ensure all animals have enclosures that are totally snake proof.

An easy meal would very much be appreciated by out local friend, but he has to catch his own, and in the bush there is never a shortage of food for a hungry python. As long as it is not our sick or orphaned charges he stalks, he is left to his own devises.

 

 

Releasing Platypus was a great experience, having had him in care for this amount of time, the release time had to be chosen carefully. The day was chosen due to the moon being dark, predators would be less on a dark moon, the day was overcast, and slight rain had fallen in the morning.

We took him to the release site early in the afternoon.

 

As I put him on the rocks by the water, he did not take many seconds before he slid in to the water, his excitement was clearly

visible as he made his way through the water staying close to the bank of the creek, his bill searching out food.

He came back to me a few times, then he entered the deeper water, and once having assured himself that he was indeed free, he did not come close to me again.

 

I can imagine him thinking she is not going to put me back in that enclosure, I'm staying out of her reach.

We stayed and watched him for quite some time, until he made his way up a slight slope on the embankment and disappeared in to the reeds. He stuck his beak in to the water a few times, cleaning his cheek pouches of food scraps as they do after eating, and he then did not show himself again.

We decided to leave him in peace to enjoy his freedom.

 

 

Being able to help this little fellow back to the wild was indeed a pleasure, and we have in the process learnt so much, spoken to some very dedicated people helping these animals survive in a ever decreasing natural environment.

I would like to thank staff from Flay's Wildlife park in SE Queensland, and staff from Australia Zoo who were a great help with information on how to care for this Platypus, and help on how best to release him.

Is there anything we can do to help these animals survive in the future? Yes.

Where possible leave trees or other vegetation around creeks, waterhole's and dams. If clearing willows, resist the temptation to 'clean up the river', make sure blackwood, tea tree or other plants replace them.

Keep farm or household chemicals such as pesticides away from areas where platypus may be found. Do not use pesticides if there is a chance of rain as they may be washed into creeks before they have soaked in. Use bridges rather than culverts on new tracks or roads. Platypus will not swim through culverts as the water flow is to uniform. They will cross the road instead and are often hit by traffic while doing so.
Reference:

Parks and Wildlife service Tasmania