Scientists re-homing a group of platypuses in Australia’s oldest national park fear thick, black sediment from a nearby mine site could contaminate the animal’s food supply.
Earlier this month, the New South Wales Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) issued a clean-up notice to the Metropolitan Colliery after a landslip in an unused part of the mine caused a large volume of debris to fall into Camp Gully Creek, near Helensburgh.
The waters of Camp Gully Creek turned an oily-black colour.
GHowever, Dr Bino and his research team had recorded a visible increase in system turbidity using devices deployed in the Hacking River. “I’m really pleased to say that all 10 of the platypuses are accounted for,” he said.
“So, my gut feeling is that the water quality from this latest mine incident probably is not directly a problem, but I’m very concerned that it could inhibit invertebrate life in the river.”
Not the platypussies :(
This is the best summary I could come up with:
Scientists re-homing a group of platypuses in Australia’s oldest national park fear thick, black sediment from a nearby mine site could contaminate the animal’s food supply.
Earlier this month, the New South Wales Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) issued a clean-up notice to the Metropolitan Colliery after a landslip in an unused part of the mine caused a large volume of debris to fall into Camp Gully Creek, near Helensburgh.
Associate Professor at Western Sydney University’s School of Science, Ian Wright, said subsequent contamination of macroinvertebrates which the platypus fed off could be deadly.
In May, the EPA imposed tougher conditions on the mine’s environment protection licence and issued two penalty notices totalling $30,000 for a separate alleged water pollution incidents in late 2022.
The NSW EPA has attributed the landslip to an 80 millimetre downpour of rain which caused a 600-square-metre section of steep embankment to slump into Camp Gully Creek.
Colliery operator Peabody’s Australian president, Jamie Frankcombe, said physical barriers had been erected to help prevent material from moving the directly-affected area downstream.
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