A species of tiny snail has been on the brink of extinction for a century, but thanks to the dedicated efforts of conservationists, they are making a remarkable comeback. The Desertas Island land snails, previously thought to have vanished for 100 years, have been successfully bred in captivity and are now being reintroduced into the wild, marking a significant conservation success story.
Discovery and Breeding
The rescue mission began when a team of conservationists stumbled upon two surviving species of the snail on the rocky cliffs of Desertas Grande in the Madeira Archipelago, Portugal. With fewer than 200 individual snails found in each population, they were on the verge of extinction. Recognizing the urgency of the situation, the conservationists brought some of these pea-sized snails to zoos in the UK and France to initiate a breeding program.
Unique Conservation Efforts
Sixty of these snails were transported to Chester Zoo, where experts embarked on a groundbreaking breeding program to increase their numbers. Dr. Gerardo Garcia, the head of ectotherms at Chester Zoo, emphasized the challenges they faced in caring for these snails that had never been in human care before. Through meticulous care and dedication, both species were successfully bred in captivity for the first time, giving them a renewed hope for survival.
Reintroduction into the Wild
Over 1,300 of these critically endangered snails are now being released into the wild on Bugio island, where they will be less vulnerable to threats like invasive goats, rats, and mice. To ensure their well-being and progress, each snail has been carefully marked with a tiny amount of infra-red paint for monitoring purposes.
Driven by a shared commitment to conservation, the collaborative efforts of experts have not only saved a species from the brink of extinction but have also provided a blueprint for future conservation endeavors. The remarkable journey of these pea-sized snails serves as a testament to the power of human ingenuity and dedication in preserving our planet’s precious biodiversity.