Platypus in operahouse trap.

[elops]

Pic was recently in paper and is currently being used in anti operahouse trap campaign by several groups.

Make your own judgement but it looks fairly obvious that it is staged IMO.

[elops]

From Wildlife preservation society of QLD website

[ellicat]

Bit of a tight squeeze through those rings to get to the bait....Oh hang on...where is the bait ?

[elops]

Bait? how about a rope or tag.

That trap has never seen the water.

[tomca]

tastes like a cross between koala and emu. Ray cooks 'em up a treat :laugh:

And where is the rope?

[wesfish]

far out the platypus is more intelligent then that! bs fake set up, where is the float or rope tied to the net, the net doesnt even look like its touched the water!

[wesfish]

haha i type too slow, responses the same !!

[ellicat]

The question remains.....who will be facing the bill ?

[dassa]

By the looks of the eyes of the platypus it's been smoking what ever these greenies have been

[Angus]

To be honest I acknowledge that everyday I see a photo thats been staged by the media.

My reason for either accepting and even condoning this, or outright being pissed off changes though.

In this case, I would not have problem if they staged this if photo IF there had been a number of dead platypus turn up recently in traps. I can accept that the journo recieved substatiated reports and could not actually be there to witness the site as lets face it, who would keep one around for photo sake.

However, if there had in fact been no actual reports of this and it was purely hippy greeny rubbish concocted by none other than Scarlett Moonshine herself, than obviously it would irritate.

As I do not know which is the case in this instance I choose to sit on the fence regarding my opinion concering this image

Angus

[elops]

Heres a pic from Widlife preservation society QLD website from 2 years ago.

The trap in the pic is not an operahouse trap it is one of those small rectangular soft entrance traps.

Illegal to use in freshwater. The only pic with evidence of dead platypi, also some turtles, the trap had obviously been in the water for some time.Info and regulations should be mandatory at point of sale.As an aside crab pots should be fitted with excusion rings IMO those cheap rectangular crab pots are death traps for marine turtles much the same as soft entrance traps are for freshwater turtles.

[rayke1938]

This is the type of pot that I have started using.

Entrance is only 60mm but they still trap large redclaw.

The bonus is being of fine mesh I am also picking up shrimp in the pot t worth the premium for the shrimp bonus and also helping to prevent unwanted bycatch.

Cheers

Ray

[crazywalrus]

hi Ray - where are you picking them up from?

[hooked_on_trout]

any trap is a hazard to native wild life.

as a kid I remember releasing 2 13lb (male and female) cod from a large home made trap simply left in the river.

So regular checks and responsible ownership.

I will go out on a limb here and state that platypus are far from endangered.

I think there will need to be more proof than a live platypus in a trap photo.

IMO we need to see evidence, not lingo bingo.

cheers

[crazywalrus]

I do not think platypus would be dumb enough to get caught in a trap. If they can get in, which is doubtful they certainly could get out. I do not think they would enter. They tend to chase live quarry i think

[elops]

They eat crays and shrimp Ted. If they get in they get out just like native water rats do.

The old style (illegal) soft entrance traps are a different story.

[rayke1938]

crazywalrus wrote:

hi Ray - where are you picking them up from?

I got them from Waynes World at Esk they are a bit exy at $10 each but seeing that they double as shrimp traps and help to prevent bycatch they are worth it.

Cheers

Ray

[fishingnut]

pretty sure tackleshop castledine has them too

[crazywalrus]

sweet thanks guys - will have to get some of those. My traps have stretched and the entry tends to droop.

[crazywalrus]

elops wrote:

They eat crays and shrimp Ted. If they get in they get out just like native water rats do.

The old style (illegal) soft entrance traps are a different story.

my bad, I was only thinking about the bait, forgot about the stuff we are trying to catch.

[snapsnap]

looks like a soft toy to me! :laugh: