The future of the Hunter River turtle is looking brighter, with Aussie Ark reporting there are more of the creatures in the river than first thought.
Hundreds of turtles washed up dead earlier this year, due to reduced water quality during the drought, disease and increased predation.
To save this species, which is unique to the Hunter River, the wildlife sanctuary kicked off a project with the support of Hunter Local Land Services.
Together, they developed captive breeding facilities and started a survey to monitor the numbers post-drought.
Initial results indicate a major increase, with more than 400 turtles found in just four days.