Results snapshot | Project progress
| Coming up | Project needs | Staff
The PlatypusWatch project is the only ongoing project of its kind in Queensland. This is the first of regular updates on
the project's progress.
Results snapshot
We have collated a total of 1157 platypus sightings from 56 of Queensland's local government areas. Of
these, 795 came with information on the year sighted. The vast majority of sightings have been made in 1990s and 2000s
(256 and 477 respectively). This is probably due to biases in reporting rates rather than an increase in Platypus numbers
in the past two decades. The state database shows that platypus sightings have been recorded every decade since 1870,
with the exception of the 1910s.
The monthly distribution of sightings show that November-February are the four poorest for platypus sightings.
Blank spot concerns researchers
Survey results reveal two significant blank spots in platypus sightings:
- Between Rockhampton and Sarina
- Between Proserpine and Townsville
The PlatypusWatch Project needs to know if these blanks reflect a lack of information or actual breaks
in the population. See Project needs
Project progress
- Latest Newsletter
- Surveys results: In August 2005, 40 volunteers joined two platypus morning surveys at Moggill Creek and Enoggera
Creek, both in inner west Brisbane. Each survey was conducted over about 2 hours immediately after dawn and had mixed
results:
- Moggill Creek: A minimum of 3 platypus were seen by 5 observers
- Enoggera Creek: no platypuses were seen despite plenty of sightings there over the past 5 years.
- Incoming information: Updated and new survey forms are still coming in from around regional Queensland. To date
we have received 1157 platypus sightings records:
- 935 from databases held by other groups and government
- 222 have come in directly to us. These add up to the most comprehensive picture of platypus ever compiled for Queensland.
- Gold Coast group: With assistance from Gold Coast City Council, Wildlife Queensland has employed a part-time
Gold Coast platypus officer to collate and map platypus records in the Gold Coast area and coordinate a group of volunteers
to conduct platypus surveys around the coast. The result has been a huge amount of data coming in from the waterways in
this region - more than 100 platypus sightings have so far been collated for the Gold Coast City Council area.
- Talks and presentations: Our wildlife projects officer Dr Scott Burnett (see staff) and
Gold Coast platypus project officer Glenn Costello have been up and down the Queensland coastal region talking about the
project and enrolling volunteers. They have delivered 20 talks to over 500 people during the past 12 months.
Coming up
- Maps: Wildlife Queensland is collaborating with Natural Resource Management South-East Queensland to create GIS maps
of platypus distribution from the information coming in from surveys and other data. Keep an eye on this site for maps
as they come to hand.
- Multimedia information disk: South Bank TAFE students have produced a DVD that uses a multimedia format to present information
about platypus ecology and distribution, including instructions about carrying out successful platypus surveys. See
Funding.
- More morning surveys: Group surveys are planned for Redlands Bay and Gold Coast waterways in early 2006. We also hope
to repeat our successful Moggill Creek and Enoggera Creek surveys during 2006. See Volunteers.
Project needs
- Volunteers: Would you like to be a volunteer for PlatypusWatch? Help with newsletter
production, mapping or be an active survey helper. Contact PlatypusWatch.
- Information: The PlatypusWatch project needs more data. You can still return survey forms to this is a long-term project.
Download the survey form.
- Funding: The project needs more funds to continue its research and information distribution.
Funds would help us:
- expand the survey
- pay for the distribution of the multimedia CD.
Staff
Dr Scott Burnett, Projects Officer, Wildlife Queensland is in charge of the project. He has given 14 public talks to groups
and organisations about the project since January 2006.
Scott is assisted by volunteers in Wildlife Queensland's head office in Brisbane but most importantly, the project has
attracted 40 participants in its platypus surveys and more than 200 people who have contributed their platypus sightings
to our database.
Glenn Costello is the society's Gold Coast platypus officer. He has been employed for a period of six months and has delivered
6 spoken presentations in the Gold Coast area in the past 4 months. Glenn will coordinate platypus field surveys in the
Gold Coast area in March and April 2006.
For more information on Wildlife Queensland's activities, contact us by email
or call +61 7 3221 0194
Wildlife Preservation Society of Queensland
February 2006
PlatypusWatch:
Project update Feb-06