SYDNEY, May 15 (Xinhua) -- In Australia's Royal National Park, platypuses have made a comeback after 50 years of local extinction.
The New South Wales (NSW) Department of Planning and Environment said on Monday that the goal of the state's first-ever platypus translocation program is to re-establish a genetically diversified and self-sustaining platypus population.
The project is a collaboration between the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, Taronga Conservation Society Australia, the University of New South Wales (UNSW Sydney), and WWF-Australia.
According to the statement, five female platypuses have been released initially into the park and will be followed by four males, once the females have successfully established their territory.
The platypuses were collected from southern NSW and then moved to a specially constructed platypus refuge at Taronga Zoo.
The success of the platypus reintroduction to the park will be evaluated by ongoing monitoring and tracking by UNSW Sydney and WWF-Australia.
"The iconic platypus is under immense pressure. The work that has gone into this project to get to the point of releasing these platypuses is essential to assure the security of these species into the future," said Penny Sharpe, NSW minister for the environment.
"Royal National Park is Australia's oldest national park and I am pleased this historic reintroduction will help re-establish a sanctuary for this iconic species," Sharpe added. ■