Produced by the Australian Platypus Conservancy, 9 pages.
On 9 February 2023, the Murrumbidgee Field Naturalists had a great webinar on Rakali (Australian Water-rat) with Geoff Williams from the Australian Platypus Conservancy.
Rakali have had a bit of a bad rap over time, probably because of its name ‘rat’ rather than ‘otter’ which would better suit its appearance as a very cute animal.
The rakali is very well adapted to make use of aquatic habitats. It has partly webbed hind feet, water-repellent fur, a stream-lined body and a thick, furry tail used as a rudder while swimming. It is also a habitat generalist, that can be found in both running and static water bodies and will feed in a wide range of man-made reservoirs, including farm dams and constructed lakes and wetlands.
These water bodies can make a significant difference to the long-term viability of a regional rakali population.
This publication provides recommendations on how best to design, modify and manage water bodies to best meet the needs of rakali populations.
