The Hon Sussan Ley MP, Minister for the Environment
The Hon James Griffin, NSW Minister for the Environment
Platypus DNA has been detected at 29 sites in the Blue Mountains, thanks to a groundbreaking detection technique funded by the Australian and NSW Governments.
Federal Minister for the Environment Sussan Ley said the use of environmental DNA tracking was vital in supporting the recovery of the elusive platypus after the Black Summer bushfires.
"If we want to best support the recovery of species like the platypus, we need coordinated action on the ground that includes monitoring and research across the entire the range of the animal," Minister Ley said.
"Using cutting-edge eDNA technology will help us understand more about the platypus - simply locating this iconic native species will help remove one of biggest obstacles we have faced in supporting its recovery after the fires.
"It may be improving water quality by fixing soil erosion or removing sediment and debris from rivers to help them feed, but if we know where the platypus live, we can deliver the right support to the right location."
Minister for Environment James Griffin said that until recently, tracking teams would need to spend hours beside waterways waiting for the elusive mammals to appear.
"What we're doing now is using high-tech DNA science to build a snapshot of how platypuses are faring, particularly after the recent devastating bushfires in the Blue Mountains," Mr Griffin said.
"So far, we've discovered platypus DNA at 29 of the 67 National Parks sites sampled, including in some waterways we didn't previously know they lived in."
As they swim, platypuses shed small traces of skin cells or body secretion into waterways, which can be detected via environmental DNA testing of water samples.
More sampling will take place in Autumn, when breeding females emerge from their burrows with their puggles and take to the water.
"These mammals can face threats of habitat loss, predation by feral animals and they can drown if they become tangled in fishing lines or yabby traps," Mr Griffin said.
"I want to make sure we're doing all we can to protect the species, which is why this research is so important. It's helping us ensure precious platypus habitat is being conserved and protected now and into the future."
So far, platypuses have been detected in the Blue Mountains, Wollemi, Kanangra-Boyd, Nattai, Mount Royal, Turon, Marrangaroo and Bangadilly National Parks and Upper Nepean State Conservation Area.
The project is being delivered by the NSW Government, supported by $23,000 from the Australian Government's Bushfire Recovery for Wildlife and their Habitats fund.
