Platypus Christmas appeal wrap-up

Platypus Appeal

17 January 2023

A BIG thank you to our members and supporters for helping to protect and conserve the iconic platypus this festive season.

More than 118 generous people donated to our Platypus Christmas Appeal, and we are beyond excited to announce that the total amount raised exceeded our goal of $50,000 – with the help of a last-minute anonymous donor. So, with a loud fanfare, your generous donations reached the grand sum of…

… an astonishing $65,000!

This amount will make a massive impact. The valuable work performed by wildlife Queensland’s PlatypusWatch to monitor platypus populations across South East Queensland can continue at speed.

Because of your kind support, Wildlife Queensland’s PlatypusWatch can now focus intently on:

  • sifting through years of environmental DNA samples and sightings and analysing and mapping them to future-proof habitats for platypuses
  • expanding our program of eDNA sampling of Queensland waterways
  • taking our PlatypusWatch program into schools and communities to prioritise wildlife awareness and the need for climate-change-resilient waterways
  • delivering hands-on citizen science programs that revegetate riparian flora
  • escalating our campaign to ban deadly opera house traps in Queensland.

“We cannot thank the donors enough for their generous support,” adds our grateful and passionate Platypus Protector, Tamielle Brunt.

“It’s been wonderful to grow our platypus community, and I can’t wait to get our projects underway and share our progress. Your generous donations will immediately allow us to begin important data analysis for our eDNA program and expand our fieldwork throughout the state. Continued community outreach and citizen science projects will help rehabilitate platypus habitat within Queensland. And we will work alongside Fisheries Queensland to escalate our campaign to ban opera house nets. Thank you, and here’s to making 2023 the year of the platypus!”

From all of us here at Wildlife Queensland, thank you again for investing in the future of a species that is arguably Australia’s most unique and fascinating.

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