3 days ago
Tragic discovery in Aussie river prompts $40,000 fine warning
After three platypus were killed in an illegal fishing trap at a major east coast river in just a few days, a conservationist has warned the loss could "knock a fairly big hole" in the region's total population.
The Australian Platypus Conservancy reported that three of the uniquely Aussie mammals were found dead in the Little Yarra River at Yarra Junction in Victoria last week, a sobering reminder of the consequences of enclosed yabbying and fishing nets, which the state banned in mid-2017.
The group said it's "worrying that, having killed a platypus one day", the same person "would come back and kill two more the next". While there's been a significant improvement since the traps were prohibited, according to Director Geoff Williams, there are some people that still fail to get the message.
Speaking to Yahoo, Williams warned that removing even a few individuals could have serious impacts on local platypus numbers. "Most platypus populations occur naturally at relatively low levels of abundance," he said.
"For example, for the Little Yarra River, our previous surveys indicate a population density of around only two to three adults per kilometre. Therefore, a trap that kills three individuals at one spot is knocking a fairly big hole in the total population."
Why is the loss of two to three platypus potentially devastating?
That kind of loss is particularly alarming in a species like the platypus, which is already facing growing threats from habitat loss, pollution, climate change and reduced river flows. The iconic mammal has slow reproduction rates and often relies on stable territories to thrive.
In small, fragmented populations, losing just a few adults — especially breeding females — can severely affect genetic diversity, reduce breeding success in future seasons, and disrupt the delicate balance of local ecosystems.
In isolated systems like the Little Yarra River, where numbers are already low, these deaths represent not just an immediate loss, but a potential long-term setback to the viability of the entire population.
It's not the first time that fishing gear has caused a platypus's death, with another found entangled in fishing line in Sydney earlier this year. Experts said the death was the fourth in mere months.
Williams said that since easy-to-buy traps, such as opera house nets, have largely disappeared, there has been a vast improvement. But, occasionally, unlawful traps do emerge.
"You can never have enough public education on such issues, especially for those who think 'home-made' traps are somehow not subject to the basic regulations," he said.
"Illegal trap usage tends to be most prevalent in 'urban fringe' areas — as was the case in this incident," he said. "In other words, genuine country people tend to know and respect the rules and city people are not involved anyway (except possibly during holiday periods when they might try yabbying or fishing with the kids)."
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Williams said that enforcement is always welcome, with anecdotal reports suggesting that many states and territories have reduced the number of wildlife and fisheries officers "out-and-about in the field".
In Victoria, illegally using enclosed fishing traps can result in fines up to $39,652 or 24 months' prison, while killing protected wildlife is a criminal offence. The Victorian Fisheries Authority is currently investigating the incident at Yarra Junction — anyone with information can contact the VFA Hotline on 13FISH (13 3474).
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