Platypuses are vulnerable to getting trapped in any plastic loop 10-15 cm in circumference.
Australian Platypus Conservancy Conservation Biologist Melody Serena said the size of loops on face masks, both disposable and reusable, was within the range known to be hazardous to animals like the platypus.
She said the disposable masks should be flimsy enough for a platypus to escape, eventually.
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However, a reusable mask, with a sturdier design, could cause more of an issue.
A research paper by Ms Serena and Geoff Williams published by CSIRO in April 2021 looks specifically at the way human rubbish affects platypuses.
Ms Serena said while she had seen no specific reports of platypuses caught in face masks, with an increasing number not being properly disposed of, it was possible they would cause issues if they ended up in a lake or river.
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Benalla's Roy Tucker has been on a one-man mission to pick up and dispose of discarded face masks in Benalla, and he said the issue was getting worse.
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“I have picked up 121 masks myself, just within a few hundred metres of my house,” Mr Tucker said.
“And I'm not the only one. I met a man the other day who was furious.
“He is a bit more mobile than me and travels a bit further around the area. He said he had picked up hundreds of them.”
The paper by Ms Serena and Mr Williams, titled Factors affecting the frequency and outcome of platypus entanglement by human rubbish, says platypuses under 12 months old are most vulnerable to entanglement.
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Data used for the paper showed that in one sample of 1266 platypuses, 15 per cent were entangled.
If you are disposing of a face mask it must be placed in a rubbish bin.
If you see someone littering you can report it to the Environmental Protection Authority online at www.epa.vic.gov.au
A person charged with littering in Australia can face a fine up to $2000.
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