Health condition data for Platypus from New South Wales and Victoria

Platypuses (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) inhabit the permanent rivers and creeks of eastern Australia, from north Queensland to Tasmania, but are experiencing multiple and synergistic anthropogenic threats. Baseline information of health is vital for effective monitoring of populations but is currently sparse for mainland platypuses. Focusing on six hematology and serum chemistry metrics as indicators of health and nutrition (packed cell volume (PCV), total protein (TP), albumin, globulin, urea, creatinine, and triglycerides), we investigated their variation across the species’ range and across seasons. We analyzed 259 samples collected from platypuses in three river catchments in New South Wales and Victoria. Health metrics significantly varied across the species’ range, with platypuses from the most northerly catchment, having lower levels of PCV, albumin and triglycerides, potentially reflecting thermal stress. The Snowy River showed significant seasonal patterns which varied between th...