The hunt for SA's platypus aided by DNA

New DNA technology is being used to find South Australia's elusive platypus, which has been extinct on the mainland since the 1970s.

The search for platypus thought to be extinct on mainland South Australia for nearly fifty years is being aided by cutting-edge DNA technology.

New DNA equipment is being used by scientists at the Australian Water Quality Centre (AWQC) at SA Water to examine waterholes in the Adelaide hills.

"With a simple one-litre sample they can determine exactly what organisms, including vertebrates, native fish, and bacteria have been in contact with that water sample," AWWQC's general manager Dr Thorsten Mosisch said.

The team took samples from 22 different locations, where the animals were possibly sighted last year, and found a range of animal DNA types including koala, rabbit and deer.

"Platypus are thought to have been extinct on mainland South Australia since the 1970s, but last year there were several sightings in the Sturt Gorge Recreation Park in the Adelaide Hills," he said.

Sadly no platypuses have been found yet, but Dr Mosisch said the impact of this technology was far reaching for many fields.

"This molecular-based analytical technique has significant implications for public health, research, conservation efforts, and optimising processes and conditions within water and wastewater treatment plants," he said.