A scientist was scouring the waterways of the Northern Tablelands for turtles when she instead made what is believed to be only the 13th sighting of a white platypus in 187 years.

Key points:

  • Bloop the white platypus was first spotted in the Gwydir River in 2021
  • Its white colour is due to the genetic abnormality leucism
  • The animal became the 13th documented sighting of a white platypus in Australia since 1835