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A unique egg-laying mammal native to Australia, the platypus faces many threats in the wild, including climate change, predators, pollution, flooding and shrinking freshwater habitat. For males, mating is a dangerous act as they injure each other with their sharp, poisonous spines.
But scientists recently identified a male platypus, just under 24 years old, the oldest platypus ever recorded in the wild, in an area that has experienced nearly seven years of drought in its lifetime. The discovery provides rare insight into one of the world’s most mysterious creatures and hints at how to make them live longer.
Geoff Williams, a biologist with the Australian Platypus Conservancy who helped conduct the research before returning the platypus home, said: “We now have a better idea of how platypus can live to a reasonable age if conditions are right.” “It’s starting to get worse,” he said.
Platypus are difficult to study because they are fast, slippery, and dwindling in numbers. About 300,000 animals remain in eastern Australia and Tasmania. Special equipment is required to analyze and catalog them. The male’s venom can cause months of suffering in humans.
It is difficult to determine the age of an adult platypus. When a platypus is young, its body changes are more pronounced, allowing scientists to estimate the platypus’ stage of development. Once the platypus matures, little changes.
Scientists now know the age of a platypus they discovered in a small stream near Melbourne in September, according to a published paper. That’s because the platypus was tagged all the way back in November 2000, when it was determined that the platypus was about 12 and a half months old. This week it’s Australian Mammals.
Platypus in captivity live longer. The oldest known platypus recently turned 30 at a zoo in rural Victoria. However, in old age, he developed arthritis in one wrist, cataracts in both eyes, and hearing loss, which are signs of aging, and “if he had lived in the wild, his survival may not have been possible,” the research paper says. the authors write.
Scientists said the discovery of the oldest known wild platypus, which at 21 years old broke the record for a female last seen in New South Wales, could help save the species. Specifically, studying its habitat, Monbulk Creek, has provided conservationists with some clues.
Williams said in an interview that one of the keys to the platypus’ long-term survival was its water pools, which persisted through seven years of drought. The platypus lived near a man-made reservoir that supplied water to communities in Melbourne’s southeastern suburbs about 100 years ago, providing refuge during long droughts.
The conservation group added that other members of the species could be helped by identifying and strengthening populations near similar pools deep and large enough to store water during droughts. Ta.
“It’s important to make sure the population continues to grow,” said Gemma Snowball, a zoologist at ecosystem consultancy Ecology Australia, which helped identify the platypus. In the wild. “
Scientists also said the area’s low population density may have contributed to the platypus’ survival. Snowball said higher densities may have led to increased breeding and foraging activity, leading to more frequent exits from the water, creating a risk of predation. Males could have taken more risks competing for and protecting females.
Apart from its habitat, the animal itself has also provided scientists with some interesting new information about this distinctive species.
Over the course of its life, the platypus’ spurs had worn down to 9.5 millimeters, or half their total length, by the time they were 19 years old, Williams said. This observation opens up the possibility that scientists could use the trait in the future to determine the age of a mature platypus.
“That’s something we haven’t been able to see for a long time,” he added, adding, “If we can get a few more captures like that, we’ll be able to start estimating what kind of decline will occur over time.” added. ”
For Williams, the discovery was also a sign that endangered species may be more resilient than scientists feared. “The platypus is highly endangered” in Monbulk Creek, he says. “They could go extinct at any time.” Still, the animals there remained sexually competitive and survived for a long time.
“Even if climate change predictions are correct, if we are faced with the prospect that some parts of Australia will become drier and platypus populations will have to live longer in isolated areas, it will be a challenge for us. “It gives us even more hope,” he said. In areas, they can survive under pressure for quite long periods of time. ”
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