With the bill of a duck, a beaver-like tail, thick downy fur and babies that come from eggs, you can see why, when the first specimens of this strange creature were sent back to Europe, that they thought it couldn't possibly be real! Spanning a remarkable evolutionary gap between reptiles, birds and mammals, this fascinating monotreme is no longer a common sight in our region's waterways. Droughts, water extraction, pollution, dense weeds and improper fishing techniques have pushed these mysterious creatures further into the dark. So what can we do through research and conservation to help build a more hopeful future for this unique animal? This is the story of the Duck-billed Platypus.