For the first time in decades, Australia’s elusive platypus has been spotted thriving once again in the wilds of Royal National Park, just south of Sydney. Researchers recently observed four individuals in a single night, including what appear to be two juveniles — strong evidence that the reintroduced population is breeding successfully.

The platypus, a semi-aquatic mammal famed for its duck-like bill and webbed feet, had disappeared from the park in the 1970s after a chemical spill devastated local waterways. For years, conservationists feared the species would never return to the region. That changed in 2023, when scientists from the University of New South Wales, in partnership with the National Parks and Wildlife Service, began an ambitious rewilding program to restore the species to its historic range.

Over 10 carefully selected platypuses were reintroduced to the park’s rivers under strict monitoring. The latest sightings confirm that not only have they survived — they are adapting, thriving, and producing offspring in their new home. Ecologists describe this as a major victory for biodiversity and an encouraging model for similar reintroduction projects across Australia.

Researchers are now tracking the animals using microchip tags and environmental DNA analysis to monitor population health and water quality. The presence of juveniles indicates a functioning ecosystem capable of supporting the species long-term.

This successful reintroduction underscores the importance of habitat restoration and sustained conservation investment. The platypus, once thought to be on the verge of local extinction, now swims again through the creeks of Royal National Park — a living reminder that, with patience and care, lost species can indeed come home.