#platypus — Public Fediverse posts

For those living near a waterway with platypus they will know they are doing their bit to look after a unique part of our Australian wildlife. >>
https://theconversation.com/how-smart-rainwater-tanks-can-help-keep-platypus-habitat-healthy-269816
#water #creeks #rivers #platypus #tanks #ImperviousSurfaces #RainwaterTanks #StormWater #wildlife #biodiversity

Monitoring Australia’s endangered species
while logging their habitats

Scent dogs are being replaced by cost-effective biomonitoring of threatened species. Technology will detection chemical signals of wildlife assemblages in the environment. " Little did we know that traces of wildlife presence float in the air and can be detected through traces of DNA."

Will the air sampling techniques operate with the pollution of heavy logging machinery to detect the scent of a koala or a glider? Will it cut through the thick smoke from (bush) fires that follow? Will traffic pollution allow allow the technology to pick up the airborne eDNA?
>>
Frère, C., et.al (2023). Koalas, friends, and foes -- the application of airborne edna for the biomonitoring of threatened species.
https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1365-2664.14784
#Koalas #glider #platypus #wildlife #conservation #BioMonitoring #dogs #ScentDogs #UAVs #eDNA #technosphere #olfaction #MoreData #NSWLogging #IndustrialLogging

NSW platypuses are accumulating the “forever chemical” perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) in very high concentrations.

"The platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) is a semi-aquatic monotreme that occupies a high trophic position in the freshwater ecosystems of eastern mainland Australia and Tasmania. Platypuses are continuously exposed to anthropogenic contaminants including perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS). This study examined PFOS concentrations in the livers of deceased platypuses (eight wild; one captive) that were opportunistically collected across NSW over a two- and a half-year period. There was a large variation in PFOS concentrations, ranging from < 1 µg/kg to 1200 µg/kg. This study presents the first report of PFOS contamination in platypuses, revealing their PFOS levels are broadly similar to those found in river otters (Lutra canadensis) and lower than those in American mink (Mustela vison), both which occupy similar ecological niches in freshwater systems. This study raises concerns about the impact of PFOS on platypus health."

"Platypuses are vulnerable to many impacts associated with human activity including hydrological changes, decline in water quality, increase in litter and discarded fishing line, illegal opera house nets (yabby traps) and water contamination...There are no guidelines on what constitutes safe concentrations of PFOS in wildlife."

>>
Warwick, K.G., Wright, I.A., Whinfield, J. et al. First report of accumulation of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) in platypuses (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) in New South Wales, Australia. Environ Sci Pollut Res 31, 51037–51042 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-024-34704-w
#pollution #water #rivers #contamination #NSW #Wildlife #platypus #platypuses #penguins #PFOS #PFAS #ForeverChemicals #Gleniffer #bellingen #NeverNever #bellinger #catchment #AquaticInvertebrates #DrinkingWater #FoodChain #SyntheticChemicals

Enough water for #nuclear reactors in #NSW but scientists worry about #wildlife

July 19, 2024

"The federal opposition has proposed seven #NuclearPowerPlants across the country if it wins the next election.

"Its plan involves building the plants on retiring or retired #coal sites, including two in #NewSouthWales, at #Liddell in the #HunterValley and #MountPiper near #Lithgow.

[...]

#Environmental concerns

"The environmental impact of both [closed-loop and once through] systems has raised concerns in #conservation groups.

"While the closed-loop system does not return water warmer to the supply than when it was taken out, the once-through cooling process does.

"Professor Johnson said changes to the temperature of #LakeLyell and #LakeLiddell could be harmful aquatic native #wildlife.

"'#Ecosystems are evolved and used to a certain temperature range, so when temperatures are higher than that, it can change all the things that live in the river,' she said.

"Jacqui Mills from the NSW Nature Conservation Council believed the once-through cooling method could have #catastrophic consequences.

"'If you have hot water discharges, it will very likely kill microorganisms,' Ms Mills said.

"'That has a flow-on impact for the creatures that rely on them like #platypus. It basically disrupts the #environment.'

"Julie Favell from the Lithgow Environment Group said recent examples of coal and other #mining industries breaching #environmental #regulations gave her 'no confidence' that a #NuclearPlant would be safe.

"'Over the past 20 years we have seen so many impacts on #swamps, #waterways, the damage in most cases is irreversible,' she said.

"'You cannot erase human error and natural disasters. There would be nothing left if one of those incidents happened.'"

Full article:
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/enough-water-for-nuclear-reactors-in-nsw-but-scientists-worry-about-wildlife/ar-BB1qiCm2

#NoNukes #NoNukesAustralia #Australia #Solar #Tidal #RenewablesNow #ProtectWildlife #ProtectNature #WaterIsLife

#Lego #Dinosaur #extinct #animals builds at #Brickresales #Brisbane
All my designs
#kronosaurus #platypterygius #muttaburrasaurus #australotitan #wintonotitan #thapunngaka #mythunga #ferrodraco #kunburrasaurus #minmi #leaellynasaura #procoptodon #diprotodon #kangaroo #echidna #platypus #goanna #magpie #rainbow #lorikeet #kookaburra #tasmaniandevil #koala #wombat #wedgetailedeagle