Werribee Riverkeeper John Forrester has appealed to dog walkers to keep their animals under control following the discovery of a dead platypus.
Mr Forrester, whose position means that he acts as spokesperson for the Werribee River Association, said a resident found the dead platypus near Manorvale Parade last month.
“To my horror, I instantly recognised it was a platypus, a young male, about a foot long,” Mr Forrester said. “It was really sad to see it.”
He said that an expert from the platypusSPOT website found that the platypus had broken ribs, which meant it had most likely been attacked by a dog.
Mr Forrester said he did not want to criticise dog walkers or people who let their dogs off the leash while walking near Werribee River.
But he said it was important for pet owners to keep their animals under control at all times in case they saw a platypus and tried to pick it up.
He said that in 1998, the river association microchipped 16 platypuses in the river between Purchase Street and the Maltby Bypass.
He said that since then, droughts and poor water flow had led to a drop in platypus numbers.
Mr Forrester also asked people to refrain from dropping rubbish near the river.
