Net-avoidance behaviour in platypuses

It has been suggested that platypuses (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) may avoid nets following capture, compromising abundance estimates using mark-recapture models. Here, we present the first direct evidence of net avoidance behaviour by the platypus. Using acoustic telemetry, we record a platypus bypassing several nets following capture. Understanding variation in capture probabilities will lead to better estimation of platypus abundance, which is currently lacking.