Platypus about to enter adulthood and move out of home are getting some extra support from the North Central CMA. Photo: Healesville Sanctuary.
Having that awkward conversation with your children when it’s clearly time for them to leave home is something most parents don’t look forward to.
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But if you’re a platypus parent in the Campaspe River, there’s no awkwardness at all.
It’s simply a matter of waiting until the conditions are right, watching them leave, and start making plans for the next generation.
North Central Catchment Management Authority has made platypus a priority, helping to make the transition to adulthood that little bit easier by creating the conditions they need.
From late April, North Central CMA will release an autumn fresh down the Campaspe River from Lake Eppalock.
North Central CMA environmental flows project manager Darren White said about 200 megalitres a day will flow from the reservoir for four days from Monday, April 28.
“This flow will benefit a lot of animals and plants in the river, but especially the young platypuses,” he said.
“This is the time of year when they leave their nesting burrows to find a new one.
“They’ll swim up and down the river until they find their own home range, a place where they can live and not be disturbed by other platypuses.”
The Campaspe River will be the centre of North Central CMA's platypus effort.
Historically present in waterways throughout much of Victoria, the platypus has declined in distribution and abundance over the past 30 years and was listed as vulnerable to extinction under the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 in 2021.
The April flow will provide platypuses with access to deeper pools, as well as provide cover from potential predators.
“Foxes and even birds of prey can strike when platypuses move through shallower areas, and flows such as this one makes that journey less dangerous for them,” Mr White said.
“Supporting Campaspe platypuses is really important for the species in northern Victoria. There are very few in the Murray River downstream of Echuca, so ensuring numbers are strong in the Campaspe is a key goal for us.”
The Campaspe autumn fresh will also help fish move up and down the river to find new feeding sites, as well as give vegetation on the banks a much-needed drink after a dry start to the year.
The plan is available for download from vewh.vic.gov.au, with regular watering updates posted on the North Central CMA website at nccma.vic.gov.au
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