Trail cameras capture images of unique creature not seen in decades: 'It was the first time everyone had actually seen one'

Australian trail cameras have caught what's perhaps the most unique animal on Earth outside of Sasquatch. 

The footage from Flaggy Creek proves the platypus — unlike Bigfoot — is, in fact, real, even though it hasn't made a cameo in some of its once well-inhabited hotspots for decades, according to a report from Yahoo News. 

"Everyone was so happy. It was the first time everyone had actually seen one around Kuranda," Alfred Hunter, a ranger, told Yahoo. 

Kuranda was once a platypus oasis, but local elders have been concerned because the unique species hasn't been spotted there for years, per the report. 

Once observed, the animal is hard to forget. It has a duck-like bill, waterproof fur, and webbed appendages. That's not to mention the venomous spurs the males sport on their hind feet, according to a description from the World Wildlife Fund. 

The animal is only found in Australia. The WWF reported that habitat destruction and changes linked to our planet's overheating have contributed to its dwindling population.

A BBC story noted that locations where the creatures are usually found have dropped by 22% since 1990. What's more, the Australian Platypus Conservancy warned that the population decline could hit 30% during the next 21 years if threats go unchecked. The conservancy listed the species as "near threatened." It is considered "vulnerable" and "endangered" in certain parts of the country but even "common" in others, per the report. 

Trail cameras are becoming powerful tools to help experts gauge population health for platypuses and other species. One recently recorded a tapir in Brazil, where it was thought to be extinct. In some cases, the video clips provide evidence of successful protection efforts. 

Smart management of our environment and the creatures in it — including fish in the ocean — can help to make sure more species survive. The result can even impact our food supply.

Reducing heat-trapping air pollution and regrowing our forests are important ways to help. The International Fund for Animal Welfare reported that higher Earth temperatures are contributing to habitat loss, natural disasters, and the extinction of certain animals. NASA's experts said the higher temps are linked to a greater risk for severe weather, a contributor to habitat loss. 

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Adding some extra plant-based meals to your menu each week is an easy way to help. It's a move that can limit meat-industry-related pollution, cut household food costs, and even improve your health, according to Harvard Health Publishing. 

Down Under, Indigenous community knowledge has been augmented by artificial intelligence, drones, and cameras to track rare species with the goal of attaining a better understanding of their health, according to the Yahoo report. 

The Flaggy Creek platypus observation is encouraging. Its presence is especially welcome to native residents like Djabugay Ewamian Elder Aunty Rita Gutchen. She said in the Yahoo story that it had been 60 years since she last saw one. 

"Hopefully they're breeding," she added.

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