Australian Platypus Conservancy biologist Geoff Williams said it appeared the animal, who only emerged from its nest two months ago, had been in agony 'for some time'.

"They were causing it a huge amount of pain, they were interfering with it's ability to feed, it was having trouble moving its head back and forth and trouble swimming with its leg," he said.

Mr Williams said the platypus had a very deep wound on its neck, and the injury on its leg had cut to the bone.

He said the animal's condition meant there was no choice but to euthanise it.

"I've never seen a platypus as bad as that still alive," he said.

"This was the worst I've ever seen.

"It was very distressing to find this platypus right on the edge of dying, we knew it was in agony, we knew there was nothing we could do, and we knew if we left it where it was it would die very slowly."

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Mr Williams said unfortunately platypuses regularly are injured or killed by litter in waterways.

"To give an idea of the scale of the problem, studies in Melbourne have shown one in ten platypuses have something caught around them and in some waterways it's as high as one in three," he said.

"I think the figure in Bright is getting to that level."

Staghorn Wildlife Shelter's Jo Mitlehner, who also attended the scene, said platypuses feed on the banks so often came in contact with litter.

"It's devastating," she said.

"Such small hair bands can cause so much damage.

"The hair bands looked like they'd been there a while. It looked like there was a bit of hair wrapped around all three of them and the platypus had probably been looking for food and scooped it over its neck and leg."

Mr Williams said people need to be aware of anything they are leaving near waterways and the devastating impacts it can have.

He said signage should be erected in tourist areas with lots of visitors.

Mr Williams said anyone who finds an injured platypus should call Wildlife Victoria and the Australian Platypus Conservancy.

Border Mail