CESAR Consultants | Agricultural Management | Environmental and Sustainability Management | Insect Pest Management | Aquatic Ecology | Environmental Monitoring | Terrestrial Monitoring | Invertebrate Monitoring | Pesticide Testing | Insecticide Testing | Genetic Analyses of Endangered Species | Integrated Pest Management

Platypus Research/Monitoring

The platypus is an iconic Australian mammal found in freshwater rivers and creeks throughout eastern Australia. Its distribution extends from Tasmania to above Cooktown in Queensland and has generally been regarded as common throughout its distribution. However, urbanisation, agriculture and continued drought over the last decade in many regions of eastern Australia, coupled with the reliance of the platypus on freshwater environments, renders it potentially vulnerable to extinction.

CESAR Consultants have partnered with Melbourne Water in an annual monitoring program of platypus throughout the waterways surrounding greater Melbourne. Since the discovery of platypus in its metropolitan environments, Melbourne Water has undertaken an Urban Platypus Conservation Program. This program is aimed at understanding the effects of urbanisation, drought and waterway management on the distribution and abundance of platypus in the Melbourne Catchment and improving riparian habitat and waterway health.

CESAR Consultants perform live-trapping surveys throughout the greater Melbourne Catchment to assess the distribution and abundance of platypus in this region. CESAR Consultants have also performed platypus surveys for clients in other regions of Victoria, including a recent survey in the Wimmera region, showing a dramatic decline in platypus numbers throughout the Wimmera Catchment.