With young platypus preparing to leave their burrows for the first time late this summer, Melbourne Water is hosting a free event in Sunbury promoting dog owners to take care around local waterways.
Paws for Platypus will be held on Saturday, January 18 from 8.30–11.30am at Emu Bottom Wetlands and will provide dog obedience demonstrations, guided platypus walks and free coffee.
Melbourne Water waterwatch coordinator Madeline Taylor said that the authority wants to promote community members and pets to explore natural spaces while also protecting the habitat of native animals.
“There are many designated off-leash areas around Melbourne, but in other locations, it’s important to keep dogs on a leash and out of waterways to prevent them from harming platypus and destroying their burrows,” she said.
“Platypus rely on steep, stable banks to build their burrows for shelter and breeding, but dogs erode and destabilise these banks when they enter waterways.
According to Melbourne Water, the Friends of Emu Bottom Wetland Reserve community group has spent more than 30 years revegetating the land around the wetlands, but the increasing presence of off-leash dogs in the area is presenting a serious threat to the platypus and other wildlife.
The authority recommends that dog owners keep dogs on-leash when around waterways, clean up after their dogs to prevent water contamination and remember that stormwater drains lead to local creeks before entering the bay.
Details: events.humanitix.com/paws-for-platypus
