SPOTTING PLATYPUS AND FROGS IN NATIONAL WATER WEEK

To celebrate National Water Week (21-27 October), Corangamite Catchment Management Authority and citizen scientists took to the waterways in Forrest and Batesford on the morning of Saturday 26 October in search of the elusive platypus while keeping a keen ear out for local frog species.

With perfect weather conditions providing a mystic vista over sites on the Barwon and Moorabool Rivers, citizen scientists who gathered along the Moorabool River at Batesford were thrilled with their spotting of Ornithorhynchus anatinus, affectionately known as ‘the platy’. The gorgeous creature swam down a long stretch of the river for all to see.

Although platypus are such iconic Aussie animals, we don’t really know much about them— especially their numbers and where they live. If we can gain a better understanding of their distribution, we can do more to help protect them. That’s where citizen scientists can help by logging any sightings. PlatypusSpot is a Citizen Science online program which encourages people to submit sightings in your local area or when you are out and about camping, fishing or even canoeing.

Participants also had the opportunity to build their knowledge and confidence using the Frog Census App. A simple to use app, Frog Census provides researchers and Catchment Management Authorities with faster access to valuable data, enabling timely environmental actions. This year's Frogtober – frog month of October - saw a focus on Growling Grass Frog, however even though Frogtober is over, we’re still encouraging people when they’re out and about in their local frog environments to record all frog calls using the Frog Census app to help protect Victoria’s frogs – this small contribution can have a big impact!