Hobart’s Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds has called on the community to become ‘Platypus Guardians’ in response to tonight’s national TV debut of the film ‘The Platypus Guardian’.
The movie tells the story of Pete Walsh, a Hobart platypus advocate, and serves as a reminder of the importance of protecting Hobart’s platypuses and their rivulet habitats.
Reynolds has emphasised the need for increased involvement, including more volunteers, to help plant and protect native habitat along the Hobart Rivulet and in bushland reserves.
She has also urged citizens to report contaminants entering the rivulets, enabling authorities to take appropriate measures.
A recent report by the City of Hobart highlighted the excellent health of the rivulets in their forested headwaters but noted a decline as they reached the urban fringe.
Invasive willow trees were identified as potential contributors to the ecological deterioration of Guy Fawkes Rivulet, a tributary of the Hobart Rivulet.
The City of Hobart say they are actively working on removing invasive willows and replacing them with native canopy, while also developing a better litter trap to prevent waste from entering the Hobart Rivulet.
A tree canopy strategy is also being developed to protect platypuses from predators and regulate water temperature.
The national premiere of ‘The Platypus Guardian’ will be shown tonight on ABC TV at 8:30 pm.
