Wyndham residents are being reminded to throw their rubbish in the bin after a platypus bound in a silicon wristband was discovered in the Werribee River.
The platypus was found during a recent survey of the river by Melbourne Water to determine the status of platypus populations across the metropolitan area.
Western region waterways manager Cameron Howie said the platypus was not injured by the wristband, but its condition would have deteriorated had it not been found.
“We and local authorities and environmental groups do a lot of work to improve the health of the Werribee River so it’s disappointing to see the platypus entangled in litter,” he said.
“When it rains, street litter is washed into drains and flows into the nearest river or creek. Littering is not always a deliberate act; it can simply be caused by rubbish not being securely disposed of or coming loose from overflowing bins.
“We can all help prevent litter from entering waterways by binning rubbish securely and cutting loops like wristbands and hair ties before disposal.”
Wildlife Ecology senior consultant Josh Griffiths said it was essential the Wyndham community reduced the amount of rubbish getting into the river to protect its small platypus population.
“The autumn survey suggests the population has remained stable in the past year, but that makes it even more important to protect the iconic animal from threats such as litter,” he said. “Platypuses use their bills to forage river beds for food so they are particularly vulnerable to suffocation and injury from litter.”
