Could the platypus population around Moreton Bay be thriving? Council says ‘maybe’ after DNA was detected around at least 37 creeks and rivers.
Council says third annual platypus monitoring project has positively confirmed DNA in all five of their major water catchments.
⇒ VIDEO: A platypus caught on camera in Moreton Bay. Footage: supplied/MBCC
Moreton Bay Mayor Peter Flannery believes the discovery may point to a healthy population.
“Pleasingly, the results from the project to date show that our platypus population is a lot more widespread than we first anticipated,” he says.
“While it’s too early to say whether the population is growing, the results are promising.
“This project will help council safeguard habitat though proactive management of the species and their environment to aid long-term survival, and over time will establish a baseline to track trends and help identify population changes,” he says.
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PLATYPUS PROJECT
Using environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling, discoveries were made in the Caboolture, North Pine, South Pine, Maroochy and Stanley river catchments.
“There was even a positive result in Conflagration Creek at one of our major industrial areas, which demonstrates our proactive management of waterways and the ability of the species to persist in our more urban creeks,” Flannery says.
“Beyond the program, we’ve had sightings in farm dams and in urban areas – one of council’s environment officers even spotted one crossing Forest Hills Drive near Morayfield.”
The project is carried out during breeding season in July and August when it is easier to detect DNA without disturbing the animals or their habitat.
A negative sample result may not mean the animals are not present in the waterway, just that there may not have been enough DNA present in the sample.
Council points out that camera traps and community sightings confirm their presence at several sites where eDNA results were negative.
TRENDING DATA
The pilot project ran in 2023; samples from 84 sites yielded 36 positive results for DNA.
In 2024, the project expanded to 155 sites with DNA detected at 71 sites.
In 2025, there were 90 positive results with DNA detected in 37 waterways from Albany Creek to Stony Creek.
The platypus data is available by clicking here which will take you to council’s website.
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