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 - Case Studies

	Title of project: Melbourne Water Urban Platypus Program Client: Melbourne Water Project Outline: Platypus are a unique Australian mammal found in waterways throughout eastern Australia. Since their discovery in Melbourne's urban environment, the conservation of platypus populations has become an integral component of Melbourne Water for improving Melbourne's waterways. We perform biannual live trapping surveys of playtpus throughout greater Melbourne's catchments to determine the abundance and distribution of platypus. Our surveys are used to inform Melbourne Water about the health and status of platypus within their waterways and to help devise conservation programs within catchments. This is a continuing program between Melbourne Water and CESAR Consultants that started in 2007.

	Title of project: The distribution of platypus in the Upper Wimmera Catchment Client: Wimmera Catchment Management Authority Project Outline: The Wimmera Catchment has been heavily affected by drought conditions over the last 5 years. Previous platypus surveys had indicated several healthy populations within different areas of the Wimmera Catchment. However, surveys had not been performed for several years and the Wimmera CMA commissioned CESAR Consultants to perform live trapping surveys at 17 sites within the Wimmera Catchment during the winter of 2008. Unfortunately only a single platypus was found at one site in the MacKenzie River, suggesting that the distribution of platypus within the Wimmera Catchment has been greatly affected by drought.

	Title of project: Platypus surveys at Mt William Creek in the Wimmera Catchment Client: Project Platypus Project Outline: Platypus surveys in the Wimmera Catchment indicate that platypus populations have been severly affected by drought conditions over the last 5 years. Project Platypus engaged CESAR Consultants to perform live trapping surveys in the Mt William Creek area to determine if platypus still exist in this region of the Wimmera Catchment. Several large pools were identified and two platypus were found in one pool near Dadswells Bridge.