A juvenile platypus has been returned to the wild after receiving expert care for 10 months at the Healesville Sanctuary, in Victoria.According to the sanctuary, the platypus was found by cyclists last February, “underweight, alone, and far from water.” Due to his “lethargic” and “poor condition,” veterinarians suspected an eye injury, but later discovered a leech attached to its eye.Because it was only a couple of months old, Dr Jessica Thomas, a platypus specialist, developed a checklist of essential survival behaviors the animal needed to master, including swimming in currents and diving at various depths, before being returned to the wild.The young platypus underwent rigorous tests until it was deemed capable of surviving, according to the sanctuary.Footage released by Zoos Victoria shows the team identifying a suitable stream near the discovery site, where the platypus was successfully returned to the wild.Thomas said, “It’s incredibly exciting to help this platypus and give him a chance he wouldn’t have had otherwise.” Credit: Zoos Victoria via Storyful