WILDLIFE conservation charity Aussie Ark is popping the champagne corks on Tuesday following its best Tasmanian devil breeding season ever.
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Pouch checks at the Barrington Tops facility, two hours from Scone, revealed 69 joeys born in 2019 - an increase of 44 per cent from 2018.
The wild population of Tasmanian devils has decreased by 90 per cent since 1996, with the iconic Australian animal facing extinction due to the contagious Devil Facial Tumour Disease.
Aussie Ark formed in 2011 with the mission to save the Tasmanian devils from extinction with this week's milestone giving the team a big reason to celebrate.
"We've been working hard all year to ensure the health and wellbeing of our devils," president Tim Faulkner said.
"And, we are over the moon with excitement at 69 joeys - our best ever breeding season.
"These joeys have the weight of their species on them as insurance populations like ours mean, if Tasmanian devils in the wild do go extinct, we won't lose these animals forever."
Aussie Ark has the largest devil population outside of Tasmania and the most successful breeding program on the mainland.
Tasmanian devil mums give birth to up to four young, which stay in the pouch for about four months.
They remain with the mother for a further five-to-six months before becoming independent.
These joeys and their mums will be some of the animals released to Aussie Ark's largest ever sanctuary in late 2019.
The 400-hectare area is fully-fenced to ensure it remains feral-free and will be home to a number of Aussie Ark species.