Factors Contributing to Platypus Mortality in Victoria

2010·1.9 MB·English

by  Melody, Williams Serena

Research Reports
Factors contributing to Platypus mortality in Victoria
MelodySerena and GeoffWilliams
AustralianPlatypusConservancy,P.O.Box22,Wiseleigh,Victoria3885
Abstract
on
24Platypusmortalityrecordsfromthe 1980sto2009wherethecauseofdeatlicouldhereliablyassigned,
41/oweredeemedtobeduetoanimalsdrowninginnetsortrapssettocapturefishorfreshwatercrustaceans,
Withtyke'netsandoperahousetrapsmainlyresponsibleforPlatypusdeathssince2000. Bycomparison,26%
otmortalityrecordswereascribedtonaUiralcauses(predationbyraptorsandcanids, Hoodinganddrought),
thoughnaturalcauseswerealmostcertainlyunder-reported.Otherimportantfactorscontributingtomortal-
aitnydmpciuumdpesd(l1i0tt%e)raannddfmiosthionrgvheohoikclses(1(44%%).of{mVoiretaVlicittoyriraencNoartdusr)a,lismta1n2-7m(a5)d2e01s0t,ru1c78t-u1r8e3s).suchasirrigationgates
Keywords: Platypus,mortalityfactors,illegalnetting,litterentanglement,effectoffloods
Introduction
Platypus Ornithorhynchus anatinus have been hooks (Grant 2007) and dying in rabbit traps
documented to be preyed upon by avarietyof (Burrell 1927).However,todate,onlyonestudy
species, including wild Dog Canis familiaris has assessed the relative importance ofdiffer-
andFox Vulpesvulpes(BrownandTriggs 1990), entmortalityfactors. Basedon necropsiesof25
Spot-tailed Quoll Dasyurus maculalus (Daw- carcasses carried out in Tasmania in the mid-
son et al. 2007), Tasmanian Devil Sarcophilus 1990s, Connolly et al. (1997) concluded that
harrisii (Munday et al. 1998), White-bellied 40% of Platypus deaths were due to attack by
Sea-Eagle Haliaeetus leucogaster (Munday et dogs, 28% werecaused by motorvehicles, 16%
al. 1998; Seale 2008), Wedge-tailed Eagle Aq- wereattributabletostarvationand/orexposure
uila audax(Rakicketal. 2001), GreyGoshawk (including one animal that had been washed
Accipiter novaehollandiae (Richards 1986) and downstream by flooding) and 8% were due
Carpet Python Morelia spilota (Burrell 1927). to infection by Mucor amphibiorum, a fungus
TheearliestevidencethatPlatj'puswerehunted linkedtodiseaseinTasmanianPlatypusbutnot
forfoodbyAborigines consistsofbonesfound animalslivingon theAustralianmainland.The
in Tasmanian caves occupied between 13000 causeofdeath could notbereliablyassigned in
and 30000yearsago (Marshall 1992). the remaining8%ofcases.
Following European settlement, many Platy- Factorsimplicatedincontributingto Platypus
pus were killed for sport or as a source offur. mortalitiesin recentdecades in Victoriaarere-
For example, a self-styled ‘naturalist’ named ported here, based mainlyon carcasses discov-
Bob Stuart reportedly made a fairly good liv- eredfortuitouslybyawiderangeofinformants.
ingin the 1870sbysellingtheskinsofPlatypus In addition, data relating to theeffect offlood-
trappedorshotalongDarebinandMerriCreeks ingonPlatypuswasobtainedasaby-productof
andnearbypartsoftheYarra River,inwhatare live-trappingsurveyscarriedoutbytheauthors
now Melbourne’s inner suburbs (Ward 1966). inandaroundMelbournefrom 2001 to2006.
More recently, factors contributing to Platypus
Methods
mortalityincludeHoods(Grant2007),litteren-
tanglement (Serena and Williams 1998), being From 1989 to 2009, the authors recorded de-
shot (Munday etal. 1998), run over by motor tailsof174first-handverbalreportsofPlatypus
vehicles (Tyson 1980; Taylor et al. 1991; Otley mortalities, including 23 cases in the 1980s, 60
andleMar 1998) orinjuredafterenteringpow- in the 1990s, and 91 in the 2000s. The reports
er plant intakes (Munday et al. 1998), becom- wereprovided onan ad hoc basisbyveterinar-
dinrgowwneidnggedininfinsharnertoswapnidpeysa(bTbayyltorrapest(alM.u1n99d1a)y, miaenms,bebiroslogoisftst,henatpuurblailcr.esMoousrtcermeapnoartgser(s7a1%n)d
et al. 1998) or after becoming snagged on fish were provided within 4 weeks or less ofa car-
cass being found or death(s) otherwise being
178 TheVictorianNaturalist
Research Reports
documented. Whenever possible, informants where the type of net or trap was unambigu-
supplied photographic documentation of the ously identified, followed by fyke nets (24%)
remains(«=39)orheldthemuntiltheremains and gill nets (9%). Although admittedly based
and the place where theywere found could be on small samples, mortalities related to use of
examined by Australia Platypus Conservancy drum nets seem to have dropped since 2000,
staff(«=41). whereasthoserelatedtouseofyabby/craytraps
Platypus live-trapping methods used to pro- appeartohaveincreased (Table2).
videinformationrelatingtotheeffectsofflood-
Predation
ing on Platypus survival have previouslybeen
described in Serena (1994) and Easton et al. Nearly one-fifth of Platypus mortality reports
wererelatedtopredation.Carcasseswerefound
(2008). 8 to 100 m from the nearest water body (55 ±
Results 24 m, mean ± S.D., ri - 15), presumably hav-
Factors contributing to death were not as- ing been carried from the water’s edge after
signed in 50 cases due to inadequate evidence, being killed. Three carcasses had wounds that
i.e. Platypus remains were found without any appeared to be caused bya raptor’s talons and/
compelling indication as to how the animal(s) orbill.Theremaining21 deathswereattributed
died. The remaining 124 cases were attributed to canids (dogsorfoxes). Mostcommonly,this
toadiverserangeofagentsandevents,broadly wasbasedon severe thoracicbruisingandbro-
groupedinto 10categories(Table 1). ken ribs being recorded along with puncture
marks corresponding to a canid’s canine teeth
IIlnle4g1al%noeftsthaencdastersapwsherecauseofdeathcould o(«cc=ur4r)i,nogrianccrounsjhuendctsikoulnlwaintdh/otroobtrhopkuenncnteucrek
be reliablyidentified, animals drowned in nets marks (n = 12). Inaddition,onepartiallyeaten
or traps set to capture either fish or edible carcasswasfoundburiedinapileofsand (with
crustaceans such as Yabbies (Cherax spp.) or foxtracks and evidence ofdigging activityob-
SpinyCrayfish (Euastacusspp.). Manyofthese served atthesitethe morningafter the carcass
incidents involved multiple Platypus mortali- was removed), one partially eaten carcass was
ties. For example, in the mid-1990s reservoir found close to a Fox den, and three partially
managementstafffoundatleasteightcarcasses eaten carcasses were recovered in association
tangled in ampair ofrectangular mesh gill nets with freshcanidscatsand/ortracks.
(each c. 10 long) lyingnextto Cairn Curran Juveniles (< oneyear old) appear to be more
Reservoir near Welshmans ReefCaravan Park
vulnerable to predation than older animals.
(confirmed by photographic evidence). The Of 16 carcasses that could be assigned to an
nets presumably had been attached to nearby age class based on the size and appearance of
deadtreesstandinginthewaterandwereaban- spurslocatedonaplatypus’shindlegs(Temple-
doned after they had been discovered to have Smith 1973), six individuals were classified as
killedprotected wildlifeas well as fish. Among adults orsubadults (3 males, 3 females) and 10
reports received since 2000, the authors con-
asjuveniles (4 males, 6 females). Interestingly,
firmed that 17 Platy'pus skulls were contained mortalities due to predation were recorded in
in a single unlicensed fyke (or eel) net set and every month from November through June
then abandoned along a small stream in the but not July, August, September or October.
Gellibrand River catchment, and five carcasses This presumably reflects the fact that unregu-
were discovered by a state wildlife officer in latedVictorianstreamsandriverstypicallyflow
a pair oflicensed fyke nets set about one km most strongly in winter and spring, helping to
upstream ofthe area legally allocated to com- protectPlatypusfromland-basedpredators.
mercial eel fishing along the Tarra River. Up
to threeanimals ata timehavereportedlydied Man-madestructuresin channel
in a single enclosedyabby or craytrap when a Thirteen mortality reports (10% of the total)
landownerreported finding oneverylargeand wererelatedtoanimalsdrowningafterencoun-
two smaller’ individuals drowned in an opera tering man-made structures. A large propor-
housenetsetintheTarago Riverin 2006. tionofthesereports («= 8)involvedaPlatypus
Drum nets and enclosed yabby/cray traps entering an irrigation pump, with cases re-
each were involved in one-third of incidents corded along the Thomson and MurrayRivers
Vol 127 (5) 2010 179
Research Reports
Table1.FactorsdeemedtoberesponsibleforPlatypusmortalitiesinVictoriafromthe 1980sto2009.
Mortalityfactor No.of No.of
incidents(%) animals(%)
Illegalnets 51 (41%) 103(56%)
Predation 24(19%) 24(13%)
Structuresinchannel 13(10%) 19(10%)
Angling 10(8%) 10(5%)
Litter 7(6%) 7(4%)
Flooding 5(4%) 5(3%)
Motorvehicles 5(4%) 5(3%)
Shotorbludgeoned 4(3%) 4(2%)
Drought 3 (2%) 3(2%)
Miscellaneous 2 (2%) 3 (2%)
Total 124 183
Table 2. Temporal variation in the use offour types ofnets or traps contributing to Platypus mortality in
Victoria.
Nettype No.ofmortalityreports
1980-1989 1990-1999 2000-2009
Enclosedyabby/craytrap 2 2 7
Drumnet 4 6 1
Fykenet 2 2 4
Gillnet 1 1 1
in the 1980s and 1990s, andthe Loddon, Yarra deeply into underlying muscle and connective
and King River catchments and lagoons asso- tissue. In addition,oneanimalwas founddead
ciated with Gunbower Creek after 2000. Most on the banks oftbe Yarra River with a hook
landowners responded by fitting grates or the embedded in its lower bill, two died after be-
equivalentaroundthepump structure,buttwo cominghooked on baited lines left unattended
or more animals died sequentially over time overnight (in the Rubicon and Wonnangatta
in the case of three pumps. In addition, one Rivers) and four drowned after fishing line at-
Platypus died after entering a small, privately tached to a hook embedded in either a front
owned hydroelectric turbinevia an unguarded foot (n = 3) or bill (n = 1) became tangled in
inlet, one died while attempting to negotiate a submerged woody debris (in Lake Elizabeth,
Dethridge wheel (used to monitor thedelivery Mount Emu Creek and the Howqua and Mur-
ofirrigationwater),onedrowned afterbecom- rayRivers).
ing lodged in a small pipe associated with a
town water supply system, one drowned while Litter
attempting to squeeze through a narrow (c. 5 Seven Platypus mortality reports (6% of the
cm) gap between gates used to regulate flow total) described animalsdyingafterlitterother
between irrigation channels, and one drowned than fishinglinebecamewrappedaround their
while attempting to negotiate two overlapping bodyorlimbs.Oneanimalapparentlydrowned
wiremesh panelsused to trap incomingleaves afteritsfrontandbacklegsononesidebecame
atthe upstreamendofasmallon-streamdam. shackled together by a twisted plastic six-pack
holder (Serena and Williams 1998). The re-
Angling mainingcases involved loops oflitter wrapped
Ten reports (8%ofthetotal) describedanimals around the neck (n = 4) or bandolier-fashion
dying as a direct or indirectby-product ofan- from just in front of one shoulder to behind
gling. Threecasesinvolvedanimals found dead the opposite front leg (n = 2), causingdeep le-
at the water’s edge with one or more loops of sions to develop. The items included aknotted
nylon fishing line wrapped tightly around the loopofstring,achild’splasticbracelet,aplastic
neck or torso. In each case, the line had cut cable-tie(circumference= 19.2mm),andthree
180 TheVictorianNaturalist
Research Reports
plastic rings or loops (in each case, 2-3 mm drainage channel near Trafalgar (in the Moe
thick) ofunknownorigin. River catchment), and a subadult male died in
2000afterbeingrun overonaprivatedriveway
Floods locatednearMonbulkCreekin Belgrave.
FivePlatypusmortalityreports(4%ofthetotal)
involved carcasses (two juveniles, three adults Attackbyhumans
or subadults) discovered in the immediate Four Platypus mortality reports described
aftermathofmajorfloodingalongtheWerribee, animals dying afterbeing targeted by humans.
Yarra,Ovens,KiewaandTanjilRivers. One incident involved an animal being shot
The fact that juveniles are weaker and less by a man hunting rabbits along the Barwon
experienced swimmers as compared to older River in the 1990s, after he sawbubbles rising
animalssuggeststhattheyaremorelikelytodie in the water. Three other incidents involved
in floods,particularlyiftheseoccuraroundthe animals (presumably unwary juveniles) being
timetheyfirstemergefromthenestingburrow bludgeoned to death in shallow water by
in late Januaryto February (Grantetal. 1983). children or older youths armed with rocks
This hypothesis is supported by the results of or lumps of wood along Diamond Creek
Platypus live-trapping surveys carried out in (Yarra River catchment) in the mid-1990s, the
mm
theMelbourneareaaftermorethan 120 of Campaspe River in 2003 and Broken Creek in
rainfellonthecityinlessthan24hoursinearly 2004.
February2005 (thehighestone-daytotal since
Drought
weatherrecordsbegantobe keptin 1855).The
mean juvenile capture rale from February to Three mortality reports described a Platypus
June 2005 along Diamond, Mullum Mullum, being found dead (and not apparently killed
Olinda and Monbulk Creeks and the lower bya predator) inor near a recentlyevaporated
reaches of the Plenty River was 0.02 animals pool duringaperiod ofdrought (in the Ovens
per site per night, or less than 10% of the River catchment in 2003, the Campaspe River
corresponding mean capture rate from 2001- catchment in 2004 and the Hopkins River
2004(0.25±0.10,mean±S.D.).Incontrast,the catchment in 2006). These deaths presumably
capturerateforadultsandsubadultsoccupying reflectthefactthatPlatypusareadaptedtofeed
exclusively in the water and starve to death in
the same five water bodies from February to
theabsenceofadequatesurfacemoisture.
June 2005 (0.38) was actually slightly higher
than the corresponding mean capture rate Miscellaneousmortalities
from 2001-2004 (0.34 ± 0.14, mean ± S.D.). One Platypus drowned in the mid-1990s in a
Juvenilerecruitmentappearedtorecoverinthe bath tub used to water livestock (the smooth
followingyear,basedonameancapturerateof enamelsurfaceapparentlymakingitimpossible
0.20juvenilespersitepernightrecordedalong for the animal to escape). In addition, two
the five water bodies from February to June veryyoungjuveniles died in captivTty in 2007
2006. after being inadvertently unearthed from a
Roadtrauma nestingburrowbyalargemechanicalexcavator
workingnearapumpingstation.
Five mortality reports involved animals being
run over by motor vehicles. Two incidents Discussion
occurred in the 1990s next to bridge culverts Nearly three-quarters (74%) of cases where
(located along the Watts River at Healesville Platypus have been found dead in Victoria
and Happy Valley Creek at Myrtleford); the since 1980 (and the cause of death could be
person reporting the Myrtleford mortality reliably identified) were linked directly to
noted that other Platypus carcasses had been human activities or behaCour. Our sample
observedatthesamelocationinpreviousyears almost certainly underestimated ‘natural’
‘when thecreekwasrunninghigh’. Inaddition, sourcesofmortalitysuchaspredation,drought
a Platypus of unknown sex and age died in or flooding (for example, many victims of
2002 during a period of severe drought on a predators are presumably consumed entirely,
road near Rossbridge (in the Hopkins River and deaths related to drought are difficult
catchment), ajuvenile female was fomund dead to assign (or even record) if victims die of
in 2002 on a road located about 20 from a starvation in burrows or abandon isolated
Vol 127 (5) 2010 181
Research Reports
pools in search oflarger water bodies). By the Allowing harmful litter to accumulate in the
same token, our study only identifies factors environment
implicated in direct mortality; the effects of Ten records described Platypus dying as a by-
environmentaldegradation,introducedspecies product of becoming tangled in abandoned
such as Carp (Cyprinus carpio) and modified fishing line or other forms of litter, llie
flow regimes in reducing the Platypus’s food recommendations outlined in Serena and
supply or the extent of its habitat are not Williams (1998) remain relevant: efforts by
addressed.Nonetheless,ourresultssuggestthat individuals or organisations to remove litter
Platypus survival rates may improve in at least from the environment should be strongly
somelocalitiesifthefollowinghumanactivities encouraged,andeveryoneshould make it their
canbecurtailed. habittocutthroughdiscardedloopsorringsof
Useofillegalfishingnets,yabby/craytrapsand any size (including such seemingly innocuous
fishinglinesleftunattendedovernight itemsas loopsoftwine, elastic hairties, engine
More than halfofthe deaths described in our gasketsorthetamper-proofsealingringsfound
drercuomrdnsetrse,sugilltlendetfsroorm(iplalretgiacluluasrelyosfinsceet2l0in0e0s), dairsopuonsdingfooofdthoermbienvaerraegseponcsoinbtlaeinmearns)nerb.efore
fykenetsand enclosed yabbyorcraytraps. We Inappropriateanglingpractices
areparticularlyconcernedthattheincidenceof Five records described a Platypus being
Platypus deaths in opera house nets and other found dead with a fishing hook embedded
forms ofenclosed yabby/cray traps appears to in its bill or the webbing of a front foot.
have escalated since 2000, even though it has Whenever possible, anglers are urged to move
been illegal since mid-2001 to use or possess a short distance upstream or downstream of
suchtraps‘in,onornexttoallVictorianinland a Platypus seen swimming in the vicinity, to
public waters’ (DPI 2009/2010: 66). Opera reducethe likelihood that the animal becomes
house nets and otherenclosed frame traps can inadvertentlysnaggedoirahook.Ifahookdoes
stillbesetlegallyinprivatelyownedotf-stream becomelodged inafoot orbill, thelineshould
dams and ponds and are accordingly widely notbecut. Instead,theanimalshouldbereeled
availableforsalethroughout thestate. In 2009, ingentlyandthehookremovedbeforethePlaty-
industrysourcesestimatedthataround 100000 pus is released (taking great care to avoid the
opera house nets are purchased annually in animal’sspursin thecaseofadultmales).
Australia (B Doyle-Cox and B Parsons, pers.
Acknowledgements
tchoamtm.e)n.cloBsaesdedyabobny/ctrhaeysetrfaapcsts,wilwlecopnrteidniucet We are greatly indebted to all the persons provid-
ing information relating to Platypus mortalities,
to be widely deployed in streams and rivers particularly P Gerolcmon, 1 Maclagan and D Need-
(and so will continue to drown Platypus and ham. Platypuslive-trappingactivitie.swerefundedby
other wildlife) until such a time as their use is MelbourneWater,VicRoads,CitiesofBanyule,Man-
outlawed entirely. Safe alternative methods for ningham and Kno.x, Nilliimbik Shire and Primelife
therecreationalharvestingofyabbiesandcrays CmoernptoroaftSiuosnt.ainWacbilailtsyoanthdaEnnkvithreonVmiecnttorfioarnauDtehpoarrits--
areavailableintheformofbaitedlines,dipnets ing us to capture and handle animals (Wildlife Re-
andcollapsiblehoop (orlift) nets. search Permits 10000929, 10001440, 10001899 and
10003546)andtheDepartmentofPrimaryIndustries
Use ofpumps and hydro-power turbines with forauthorisingustosetsurveynets(FisheriesPermit
entrypointsaccessibletoPlatypus RP553).
A surprisinglyhigh number (8%) ofindividual
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Onehundredyearsago
EXCURSIONTOWESTWARBURTON
A.D. Hardy
CrossingtheYarrabyasubstantialbridge,wefoundasomewhatsteeproad,mostlyformedbyside-cutting,
leading up the mountain side. Down below ran the Dee, a foaming, rushing rivulet, so embowered in
vegetationastobescarcelyvisible.Statelytree-ferns,manyverytall,withfinespecimensoftheKingfern,
OsmundaBarbara,tookadvantageofthecool,shelteredposition,andenhancedthescenewiththeirever
gracefulfronds.TheclimbersLyonsiaandTecomaentwinedtheblackwoods,prostantherasanddogwoods,
and at every turn some fresh arrangement offoliage delighted the eye. At length we reached a plateau,
wherehadformerlybeenasawmill,and,gettingdirectionsfromaresident,startedalongadisusedlimber-
tramtowardsthe Rock, which wehaddecidedwasto beourgoalforIheday. Tlie firstevergreen Beech,
FagusCumiinghami,wasencounteredatanaltitudeof1,000 feet,andtothisheighttheproscribed Rubus
hasgainedafootingalongtheroadway.Themountainsidehasbeenselectedanddenudedoftimber.This
beltisabouttwomileswide.Aboveittheforestareahasalsobeencleared,partlybylegitimatecuttingand
partlybybushfires.ManyyearsagoIhewastefulnessofthetimber-getterwas, in themidstofplenty,and
underan oldsystem,hardlyobservable, but from Ihe standpointofthesystemofthelast fewyears, and
withtimberfastdisappearing,thethousandsofwhitenedtrunkswhichliewheretheyfell,orslidtowhen
cut,causedustoindulgeinmuchuselessregret.To-dayactivewatchful foresterstraversethetimberlands
tocheckillicitcuttingandgrazing,and,amongmuch else,even examinetherefuseheaps,atthemillsto
seethateveryavailablefootofthelogsismadeuseof.hencewasteisnowalmostreducedtoitsminimum.
Whenclimbingaboutthesemountainsides,forcingoneswaythroughalmostimpenetrablescrubandover
hugetreetrunks,on—erealizesfarbetterthan fromth—ecomfortofaneasychairtheareatobecovered,the
difficulties oftravel often bysaddle impracticable andthe comparative fewness ofthe officers forthe
purpose.
From The VictorianNaturalistXXVI,pp. 186-187,April, 1910
Vol 127 (5) 2010 183