Platypuses continue to thrive in new home in Royal National Park

The platypuses were released in May, after being locally extinct for 50 years.

Each carries an acoustic tag, which pings listening receivers up and down the rivers of the Royal.

Minister for Climate Change and the Environment Penny Sharpe said the latest data showed nine of the ten animals were adapting well to their environment.

"The tenth platypus has ventured beyond the team's tracking capabilities, which she has done before, and the team is confident she is exploring creeks she has previously visited," Ms Sharpe said.

"Visitors to the Royal National Park are now regularly reporting platypus sightings.

"This underscores the value of conservation efforts in connecting people with nature and raising awareness about the importance of preserving Australia's unique wildlife."

The project is a collaboration between the Platypus Conservation Initiative (UNSW Sydney), WWF-Australia, NSW National Parks Wildlife Service and Taronga Conservation Society.

The project is guided by a commitment to preserving the Royal National Park's unique biodiversity and supporting the long-term success of the platypus population.

Ms Sharpe said plans were underway to conduct comprehensive surveys in the park next year to assess the breeding success and overall health of the platypus population.

"The goal is to confirm whether the reintroduced platypuses have successfully reared young, which would mark another milestone in this ambitious conservation project," she said.

Lead Researcher Dr Gilad Bino, of UNSW's Centre for Ecosystem Science, said, "The reintroduction has exceeded our expectations".

"The platypuses have adapted exceptionally well to the Royal National Park, a testament to the robustness of both the species and the habitat.

"We are closely monitoring the one platypus which has ventured beyond our monitoring capacity, but she will no doubt reconnect soon."

Researcher Dr Tahneal Hawke, of the Centre of Ecosystem Science, said, "Recent water quality and macro-invertebrate surveys show the system is in generally good condition, offering suitable resources for the platypuses. As they enter their breeding season, we are optimistic they will breed."

WWF-Australia conservation ecologist Patrick Giumelli, said, "Our tracking data is providing fascinating insights into how the platypuses are interacting with their new habitat.

"We're learning so much from these ten animals that will help inform future reintroductions of the species.

"We need to take these bold actions to reverse the decline of this Australian icon and secure its future."