What is the status of the platypus population in Sydney's Royal National Park?

The platypus population in Sydney's Royal National Park is thriving, with researchers discovering two new juvenile platypuses in 2025, a rare sighting in the park.

How did the platypus population in the Royal National Park become endangered?

The platypus population in the Royal National Park was thought to be locally extinct by the 1970s after a chemical spill on a nearby highway washed through streams and the Hacking River, devastating the delicate ecosystem that platypuses need to thrive.

What is the Peabody Energy company's role in the platypus reintroduction project?

Peabody Energy, the operator of a coalmine upstream from the Royal National Park, has become a major funder of the platypus reintroduction project, providing a three-year $630,000 grant to support the next phase of the relocation efforts.

Home / Environment / Platypus Population Thrives in Revived Sydney National Park

Platypus Population Thrives in Revived Sydney National Park

17 Oct

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Summary

10 platypuses reintroduced in 2023, now breeding and expanding
Researchers discover 2 new juvenile platypuses, a rare sighting
Platypus population faces challenges but overall reintroduction successful

Platypus Population Thrives in Revived Sydney National Park

In 2023, a team of researchers from the University of New South Wales reintroduced 10 platypuses into Sydney's Royal National Park, where the species had been locally extinct since the 1970s due to a chemical spill. Now, two years later, the researchers have made an exciting discovery – they have found two new juvenile platypuses, a rare sighting in the park.

The reintroduction program has been a success so far, with the researchers tracking the platypuses using transmitters and monitoring their progress. They have seen the population grow, with a newborn platypus named Gilli discovered in 2024 and three more adults introduced in May of that year.

However, the platypus population is not without its challenges. Earlier this month, a dead male platypus was found in the park, and the researchers are still investigating the cause of death. They note that the peak mating season can be a "rough period" for male platypuses, as they can exhaust their energy stores while searching for mates or fighting with other males.