Prolonged drought and catastrophic bushfires are pushing our iconic platypus closer to a silent extinction.
The platypus is a symbol of Australia. With pride of place on our 20 cent coin, the platypus is etched into the hearts and minds of all Australians. Found nowhere else in the world, the platypus acts as the climate change 'canaries' of our freshwater ecosystems, alerting us to the health of our rivers - just as koalas do for our forests.
Tragically, bushfires and terrible drought have had a devastating impact on platypus populations. We're seeing populations literally disappear from entire river systems in the blink of an eye.
Please help protect our platypus populations from disappearing, and help stop their decline before it's too late. Donate today.
Your donation today
Could you bear to lose this Aussie icon?
A unique species found nowhere else in the world:
With webbed feet and a bill like a duck, body like an otter and tail like a beaver, our platypus continued to astound and fascinate us today: a mammal that lays eggs, has venomous spurs, hunts by electro-reception, and has fur that can glow a brilliant blue-green in certain light.
Empty streams and rivers where they once thrived:
Platypus used to be found from northern Queensland all the way down to Tasmania. But our one-of-a-kind wonder is disappearing. In streams and rivers where we thought they were thriving, their numbers have plummeted. It's an emergency. The SILENT EXTINCTION no one saw coming.
Out of sight, our platypus are quietly disappearing:
Female platypus dig burrows in riverbanks to lay their eggs, they swim and forage for food along riverbeds. But to do that they need healthy rivers free from drought, fires, pollution, degradation, predation and human persecution. Because in our creeks platypus are also drowning, hopelessly caught in yabby traps.
Translocation: the heart of our rewilding strategy:
This is our wakeup call to better protect our national treasure, and the rivers and creeks where they live. We can't lose another iconic Australian species. The time to act is now.
Aimed at restoring precious ecosystems and improving the outlook of threatened species, translocation is a strategy increasingly employed by conservationists.
Your gift today will help research and monitor platypus populations across eastern states and implement a unique translocation program to re-introduce healthy platypus back into the Royal National Park in south Sydney.
This program will help bring back vital populations back from the brink of extinction and ensure local ecosystems are able to remain healthy.
Please donate to help protect our platypus today.