Darling River snails found alive after extinction fears
A colony of about 50 Darling River snails discovered breeding in a weir near Walgett, NSW has ended extinction fears.
A critically endangered aquatic snail has been found alive in western NSW, ending years of extinction fears. The Darling River snail was once abundant, then feared lost, until it was discovered breeding in a weir on the Barwon River near Walgett.
This is the first sighting of the species in the region in decades. A tiny colony of about 50 living snails was found.
The snails include young shells. This shows they have been breeding.
Earlier colonies were found at weirs at Wilcannia, Louth and Tilpa in late 2024. Snails were also found inside irrigation pipes at Louth and Tilpa.
Charles Sturt University ecologist Martin Mallen-Cooper called the discovery unbelievably exciting. The construction of weirs and irrigation systems once threatened the snails.
But these same structures have surprisingly become habitats where they now survive. Aboriginal rangers in Walgett confirmed the find in September.
They are exploring a second nearby location.
- about 50 snails
- Colony size
- Walgett weir, Barwon River
- Location
- September
- Confirmation month
- Wilcannia, Louth, Tilpa
- Earlier discovery locations
Why it mattersFinding breeding populations of a critically endangered species offers genuine hope for recovery. It shows that human-made structures can provide habitat where natural systems have been damaged.
AustraliaNSW and Australia's conservation efforts for native species have a measurable win, and the find offers new paths for restoring endangered freshwater life.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 2 h ago
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