Five platypus deaths, two opera house nets, Victoria

This was the horrific scene in May last year; the death of five platypuses in just two opera house nets in the public waterways of West Gippsland, Victoria. This is what enclosed yabby nets, including opera house nets, can do. So what can you do? – Spread the word. Many people are simply unaware of the regulations (i.e. not to be used in Tasmanian public waterways) or about the risks that these nets pose (i.e. they drown air breathing animals), so please pass this information on. If you find an enclosed yabby trap being used illegally (or any traps being used illegally for that matter – current fisheries regulations are available ), immediately report this to the relevant authorities. – Talk to those who sell them. If you go into a fishing/outdoor store, ask if they sell enclosed yabby traps such as opera house nets, and if the answer is yes, explain the issue to them and then ask them if there is a good reason they won’t stop? To find out who sells them, just google the words “opera house net buy” and you’ll get a good idea. – Engage with those who make policy Contact your local or state politicians, and very politely ask them to support a change in regulations which ban the sale, ownership and use of enclosed yabby traps, and explain why. – Report a sighting If you are ever lucky enough to see a platypus in the wild, please register the sighting using the platypusSPOT app available . The more we know about their distribution the better.