Perth, May 22: Scientists from UNSW Sydney have confirmed a reintroduced platypus population in Royal National Park has now grown to 20 known individuals, following the release of four additional animals and a new round of surveys across the park in May 2026.
Lead researcher Gilad Bino, from UNSW’s Centre for Ecosystem Science and co-founder of the Platypus Conservation Initiative, says reaching 20 known platypuses is a defining moment for the program.
“It is a privilege to be part of bringing platypuses back to a part of their former range where they had been missing for generations,” A/Prof. Bino says.
The latest translocation event saw four platypuses released into the Hacking River — males Absinthe and Duckie, alongside females Hydra and Dawn. The release coincided with comprehensive surveys that re-encountered two males from the founding 2023 cohort, Prometheus and Noris.
Researchers also captured a new subadult male hatched in the park during the most recent breeding season, providing further evidence the reintroduced population is reproducing successfully in the wild.
“To capture males from the original release still in great condition, alongside a young male hatched here in the park, tells us this is no longer just a reintroduction – it is a recovering population,” says A/Prof. Bino.
“Adding Absinthe, Duckie, Hydra and Dawn will strengthen both the numbers and the genetic diversity underpinning its long-term resilience.”
Before 2023, platypuses had been absent from Royal National Park for more than 50 years. Since the program began, 17 platypuses have been translocated into the park, with researchers now describing the project as one of NSW’s most ambitious wildlife recovery efforts.
UNSW co-lead researcher Tahneal Hawke says the latest surveys provide strong evidence the population is establishing across generations.
“The results are exactly what we want to see at this stage of the project,” Dr Hawke says.
“We now have multiple age classes in the park, evidence of breeding across consecutive seasons and animals interacting with the river system as a healthy platypus community should,” she says.
“That is the signature of a population that is starting to stand on its own.”
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