Every now and then everyone needs some time for a little rest and recuperation, and our animals here at Sydney Aquarium are no different. Recently we have had some construction works going on in one of our behind the scenes areas, and as a result we had to pull down and rebuild our off exhibit platypus aviary.
It is very important that for each animal on display that there is somewhere off display that we can move the animal to. There are many reasons we might want to move an animal off display, for example if they become sick (so we can monitor and treat them more easily), to carry out upgrades to their exhibit, or simply to give them time to rest. It is for this last reason that we have decided to move one of our platypuses, Jackie, out into the newly refurbished aviary.
There are many things which we need to keep in mind when getting an area ready for an animal to live and this was certainly the case when we were rebuilding the platypus aviary. One of the biggest things we had to ensure was that the area was platypus proof. Platypus are very inquisitive animals and can squeeze themselves into surprisingly small gaps, so we had to make sure the area was completely sealed to prevent any escape attempts. Amongst many other things we also had to make sure there were no areas where the animals can get tangled or hurt themselves, ensure the enclosure is maintained at adequate temperatures, and that the animals have easy access between the water, the land area and their burrows.
After going through the checklist and making sure that the area was ready for the platypus introduction, we introduced our smallest platypus, Jackie. It seems that she loves her new home away from home almost immediately beginning to forage, away from prying eyes of people, and without competition from our other platypuses Zoe and Nayda. In the aviary she is also lucky enough to be exposed to the elements, receiving natural sunlight and rain. We have also provided a large sandy area where she can dig, and within a couple of days of being moved we were very excited to find her curled up in a small burrow which she had dug for herself the night before. Jackie will be kept out in the aviary for a few months before being reintroduced back into the main exhibit.
Amanda :)