Journal article
Net-avoidance behaviour in platypuses
J Griffiths, T Kelly, A Weeks
Australian Mammalogy | CSIRO PUBLISHING | Published : 2013
DOI: 10.1071/AM12051
Abstract
It has been suggested that platypuses (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) may avoid nets following capture, compromising abundance estimates using mark-recapture models. Here, we present the first direct evidence of net avoidance behaviour by the platypus. Using acoustic telemetry, we record a platypus bypassing several nets following capture. Understanding variation in capture probabilities will lead to better estimation of platypus abundance, which is currently lacking. © 2013 Australian Mammal Society.
Grants
Funding Acknowledgements
The authors thank Tom Grant and Ross Goldingay for their constructive comments on the manuscript. Funding was provided by Melbourne Water and all research was carried out under permits from the Department of Sustainability and Environment (10004130), Department of Primary Industries (09.07 and RP907) and the Melbourne University Animal Ethics Committee (1111951).