Recent monitoring by the Department of Primary Industries (DPI) Fisheries team revealed positive results for the Southern Purple Spotted Gudgeon at the zoo, with 47 fish across five class sizes caught in the sampling survey.

"The monitoring showed a very promising result for the population at the zoo.

"They have undergone several breeding events and appear to be thriving in the water bodies in the Lion Pride Lands precinct," DPI Fisheries Threatened Species Manager, Maryrose Antico said.

"The partnership with the zoo has really benefited this threatened fish species, providing ideal habitat in their temporary home," Ms Antico said.

The initial group of Southern Purple Spotted Gudgeon were rescued from drying waterbodies in the Macquarie catchment and relocated to Taronga Western Plains Zoo in the height of the drought back in 2019.

The rescued fish have been living in the water bodies in the Lion Pride Lands precinct ever since, with the lions watching over them on a daily basis.

"We are really proud of the partnership between the zoo and DPI Fisheries to be able to work collaboratively in order to contribute to conservation outcomes for this threatened species," Taronga Western Plains Zoo Wildlife Conservation Manager, Phoebe Meagher said.

"We will continue to work closely with the DPI Fisheries team to manage this species until a point where it is safe to reintroduce the fish back to their natural home in the wild when conditions are favourable," keeper Ms Meagher said.

While at the zoo the DPI Fisheries team also carried out some habitat enhancement by introducing pipes for breeding and planting some phragmites to continue to improve the water quality in these water bodies and provide additional habitat for the fish.

The Southern Purple Spotted Gudgeon is a small freshwater fish native to Australia and is listed as an endangered species in NSW.

They can grow to 15cm in length and are generally found in slow moving rivers, creeks and streams.

Southern Purple Spotted Gudgeon were previously widespread in the Murray, Murrumbidgee and Lachlan River system and tributaries of the Darling, but the population has experienced a significant decline in recent times and they are now rare in inland NSW.

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