Australian Platypus Conservancy (Official)

11/09/2026

The latest edition of Platypus News & Views (no. 103, August 2026) is now available on the Conservancy website https://platypus.asn.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/E-PNV103.pdf
In this edition you can read about:

* Platypus can use bill (as well as tail) to collect nesting material - new photographic evidence.
* Fresh insights into rakali foraging behaviour and diet.
* Another platypus hair tie death.
* Giant platypus puppet.
* New online map of rakali sightings for Greater Melbourne.

> You are welcome to reproduce any of the material from PN&V for non-profit, educational purposes, subject to acknowledgement of the APC as the source.

02/06/2026

The current edition of Platypus News & Views (no. 102, May 2026) is now avaiable on the APC website www.platypus.asn.au
In this edition you can read about:

Secrets of the platypus burrow.
Curdies River platypus back from the brink.
A platypus spotted in the surf on Tasmania's north coast.
Our thanks to Sara Halvedene Foundation.
The importance of reporting platypus and rakali sightings

You are welcome to reproduce any of the material from PN&V for non-profit, educational purposes, subject to acknowledgement of the APC as the source. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you would like any more information.

The platypus is one of the world's most remarkable animals. The Australian Platypus Conservancy is working hard to unlock some of the key scientific mysteries which still surround the species, and also conducts a wide range of conservation programs and environmental education initiatives. You can le...

06/03/2026

The current edition of Platypus News & Views (no. 101, February 2026) can now be found on the APC websitehttps://platypus.asn.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/E-PNV-101.pdf
In this edition you can read about:
An overview of platypus occurrence in Greater Sydney.
Citizen scientists capture great images of platypus behaviour.
Latest results from Ballarat's rakali monitoring program.
Rakali wins ‘Most Underrated Animal’ poll.
Gondwana Macadamias joins APC Sponsors List.
Pip the Easter Platypus
Platypus sculptures celebration.

You are welcome to reproduce any of the material from PN&V for non-profit, educational purposes, subject to acknowledgement of the APC as the source.

20/02/2026

THE EASTER PLATYPUS

Instead of that feral impostor Bunny why not give a delicious chocolate platypus this Easter and help the conservation of our egg-laying mammal at the same time?

Pip the Platypus in one of the iconic Australian animals in the Critters Collection produced by artisan chocolatier Koko Black. Donations by Koko Black from each item sold help support the work of several wildlife conservation organisations, including the Australian Platypus Conservancy. Pip is available online and in-store across the nation – see https://www.kokoblack.com/products/pip-platypus.

The Australian Platypus Conservancy is a non-profit association that does not receive government funding. The APC relies on donations from individuals and the support of responsible businesses and organisations to conduct its research and conservation programs. The APC sincerely thanks Koko Black for valuable support over the past few years.

17/12/2025

A platypus was found dead last week in an opera house yabby trap in Traralgon Creek in central Victoria. This incident follows upon two dead platypus being recovered from fishing nets in Gippsland in September.
Possession and use of opera house traps and other designs of enclosed yabbying nets, have been illegal in Victoria since mid-2019. Such traps are also illegal in NSW, ACT, Tasmania, South Australia and Western Australia and can only be used in certain parts of Queensland. Significant fines can be imposed and a prison sentence can also apply if native wildlife, such as platypus or rakali (Australian water-rat), are killed in such traps.

This latest incident is under investigation by Victorian Fisheries Authority officers. Anyone with information about illegal trap usage is urged to contact the VFA Hotline on 13FISH (133474).
With the summer vacation period approaching, bringing with it increased recreational angling activity, it is vital that everybody undertaking fishing or yabbying should check current recreational fishing regulations for the state/territory that they are in to ensure that the equipment they are using is allowable. Various types of ‘wildlife-friendly’ lift nets and open-top pyramid traps (see photo) are now easily available so the message is very clear: stop using opera house death-traps!”.