The platy-project

The platypus

With a rubbery duck bill, webbed feet and fur, the platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) is one of Australia’s strangest and most iconic animals. 

A monotreme, the platypus is one of only two mammals in Australia that lay eggs (the other is the echidna) and male platypuses have a venomous spur on their back feet. They really are like no other animal on the planet.

Different groups of First Nations peoples have named the platypus Mallangong, Tambreet, Gaya-dari, Boonaburra and Lar-re-lar.

But platypus numbers are in decline, and this unique creature is now at risk of localised extinction in parts of it's range.

Land clearing, dams and drought destroy important platypus habitat, leaving them with nowhere to go. Extreme events like bushfire can put pressure on populations too.

To survive, platypuses need safe habitat to call home.

Image credit: Pete Walsh

Mapping the platypus

Designed and created by platypus researchers at the University of New South Wales (UNSW), the platy-project map was created to prioritise the biggest gaps in platypus data.

We know the platypus has a large distribution – from the tropics of northern Queensland to temperate Tasmania – but little is known about which specific waterways platypus inhabit, including whether declines in populations or local extinctions have occurred.

Filling these knowledge gaps is a big job, and the researchers at UNSW need the help of the community to tackle it. The map was created so we can direct our platypus search efforts to the most important areas.

Use the map to identify priority areas near you – then head out to see if you can spot a platypus. Priority areas are places within the platypus’ predicted range where they’ve never been recorded, or where they haven’t been seen in a while.

view the map