An urgent plea went out to the Blue Mountains community on Monday [March 15] to help rescue a young male platypus trapped in a sewage water treatment plant.
Wires volunteer Tracy Burgess made an "urgent call-out [on a community web page] for anyone close to Winmalee/Springwood that has a long pool scoop. Urgent. Please message me. Platypus rescue."
The juvenile platypus was trapped in the first flushing tank at the water treatment plant at Winmalee. It was only the size of a human hand, the eagle eyes of worker Rod Braithwaite had spotted it, she said.
Ms Burgess got the call on the WIRES emergency call-out app just before 9am. She stopped reading emails in her Katoomba office and rushed to the scene. That's when she realised her 5 metre long pole would not reach the animal.
She said the pool "stunk" and was "filthy".
"All the workers were very concerned. I had this huge big net with an extendable pole but it still wasn't long enough."
With workers from the plant Ms Burgess and another WIRES volunteer Kylie Camilleri "MacGyvered" some hard plastic tubing and "gaffa-taped it on to the pole". "Two or three goes" and the platypus was caught, taken out, wrapped it in a towel and checked over, before heading to the North Richmond vet. The rescue was complete by 11am.
Ms Burgess said it was the first WIRES rescue of a platypus in the Blue Mountains in five years.
"We were worried about what it had ingested," she said. "I wrapped it in a towel, I wasn't worried about his spur ...we checked him over for injuries and then when we put him in the tub, he started hiding under the towels in there."
Platypuses are endangered and WIRES likes to ensure they go back in the wild quickly.
"Wombats and platypus don't do well in care, they can die from being stressed," she said.
North Richmond Vet Hospital Dr Maya Silberstein gave the animal the all clear, but because of its small size, also consulted with Taronga Zoo and National Parks.
Practice manager Laura Northover said: "It was doing quite well ... We see a lot of exotics, but not really platypus and because of where it was found [in the treatment plant] we thought it should go off to an expert at Taronga".
On Wednesday Taronga Zoo veterinary officer Kimberly Vinette Herrin confirmed: "It was transferred here and doing well. A little thin which is seen in dispersing young males. Health check is all good - normal bloodwork (not anemic which we sometimes see). Will assess feeding and plan release in conjunction with Parks - hopefully soon".
A Sydney Water spokeswoman said workers checked the tanks at least four times each weekday and they were trained to look for animals.
About six platypuses had been found in that tank in the past 12 years, as well as snakes, wallabies and a water dragon.
The water quality from the final stage of the treatment plant was so good it helped the platypus colony thrive, she said.
The platypus will be released at Hawkesbury Heights. It's believed the monotreme swam from a feeder creek into a water pipe and landed in the pool while it was full.
"Everyone's excited to know that they are here," Ms Burgess said.
UPDATE
The platypus was released on Saturday, March 27, by National Parks and Wildlife Service and WIRES in Yellomundee Regional Park and is expected to thrive.
People who come across injured native wildlife should contact rescue groups like WIRES for assistance on 1300 094 737, or online at wires.org.au
