Healesville Sanctuary has celebrated another world first breeding success with the arrival of a baby Platypus known as a Puggle.

Although born early December, Ember the Platypus puggle emerged from her burrow just after the Victorian bushfires.

This is the second year in a row that the keeping team has successfully bred platypus. Last year, Binarri produced twins.

As a nocturnal animal, Ember shuns the limelight but has been making short public appearances, playing with the running tap that releases fresh water into her tank. At dusk and dawn keepers have noticed her exploring her outdoor habitat.

Although Platypus are not a threatened species, breeding them in captivity is a rare event. "The conservation value of the captive breeding of Playtpus gives us exclusive knowledge if we ever needed an insurance population for the future survival of this unique species", John Gibbons, Healesville Sanctuary's Director said.

Healesville Sanctuary is only one of two institutions to have recorded breeding success with Platypus. In 1943, the Sanctuary hatched the first Platypus (Corrie) ever bred in captivity (an event that made front page news in London and New York). It took 55 years to repeat that success with the birth of twin Platypus in 1998 (Barak and Yarra Yarra), in 2000 (MacKenzie) and 2008 (Burran and Waddirang).

"We created history last year with twin Platypus from the same breeding pair as this season but are equally thrilled to have successfully bred two years in a row," Mr Gibbons said. "Healesville Sanctuary has demonstrated leadership in captive breeding of other Australian endangered wildlife with the success of the Tasmanian Devils, Helmeted Honeyeater and Orange-bellied Parrots.

"The Platypus is one of Australia's animal icons and successful breeding allows us to learn more about one of Australia's most unusual animals," Mr Gibbons said. "We continue to expand our knowledge and foster a value and respect for the unique Australian native wildlife."

The state-of-the-art BHP Billiton Platypusary was purpose built and officially opened in 2005 to assist in this captive breeding program and has become a tourism drawcard for Healesville Sanctuary and the surrounding area.

Healesville Sanctuary is one of Victoria's leading tourist attractions, last year attracting more than 300,000 visitors, including 90,000 from abroad. Although animals were evacuated from the Sanctuary during the Victorian bushfires and staff put on high alert, the Sanctuary welcomes visitors back to the Yarra Valley and to visit Ember, its newest addition.