Taronga Western Plains Zoo’s Wildlife Hospital received a Platypus recently after it was found a little lost at the golf course. A staff member at the golf course found the rarely seen native animal and brought it in to the Wildlife Hospital to have a check up and ensure it was not sick or injured.

The veterinarian conducted a health assessment on the Platypus, which revealed it was a female and in good health. Veterinary staff think she may have gone up the stream to the golf course during the recent rains and then was unable to find her way back to the river.

Staff were very excited to see the iconic native animal and even more so when she was given a clean bill of health. The Platypus was released back into the Macquarie River.

It is rare to see a Platypus in the wild in the Macquarie River as they are quite elusive. There have been sightings over the years but they generally stay close to the banks of the river where there is protection. The Macquarie River is the most western point in which Platypus can be found in New South Wales.