Rare snails helped by Marwell Zoo project
Thousand of the extinct in the wild creatures have been released
A group of rare snails are said to be thriving thanks to the work of a global conservation effort involving Marwell Zoo in Hampshire.
For the first time in 40 years, conservationists have found born-in-the-wild adult Partula tohiveana – meaning the precious molluscs have successfully established themselves in French Polynesia.
The site near Winchester has contributed 1,640 snails to a project which saw zoos around the world restore around 6,000 the creatures to Moorea.
The proof that previously reintroduced snails have successfully bred in the area means Partula tohiveana can now be considered as established and can now be downgraded from Extinct in the Wild to Critically Endangered on the IUCN’s Red List.
Ten species and sub-species of the tropical snails, reared at London Zoo, Bristol Zoological Society, Detroit Zoological Society, Marwell Wildlife, the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, Saint Louis Zoo, Sedgwick County Zoo, Woodland Park Zoo and Zoo Schwerin, travelled more than 15,000km to Tahiti at the beginning of September.
Before making the two-day journey to the islands of Tahiti, Moorea and Huahine, the incredibly rare snails, which each measure a tiny 1-2cm in length, were individually counted and marked with a dot of red UV reflective paint. T
he ‘snail varnish’ glows under UV torchlight, helping conservationists in the field to spot and monitor the nocturnal snails at night, when they’re most active.
Partula snails - also known as Polynesian tree snails - eat decaying plant tissue and fungi, so play an important role in maintaining forest health. Returning these rare snails back to the wild helps to restore the ecological balance in these islands.
Conservation zoos are working with the French Polynesian Government’s Direction de l’environnement, to save Partula snails from extinction. In the 1980s and early 1990s, these snails faced a critical threat after the invasive rosy wolf snail (Euglandina rosea) was introduced to control the African giant land snail (Lissachatina fulica).
Unfortunately, the predatory species targeted the native snails instead, leading to the extinction or near-extinction of many Partula species across the region.
In the early 1990s, the last remaining individuals of several Partula species were rescued by London and Edinburgh Zoos, launching an international conservation breeding programme. This collaboration between 15 zoos cares for 15 species and subspecies, most of which are classified as Extinct-in-the-Wild.
These rescued snails, along with those already being studied at universities in the UK and North America, became the foundation for reintroducing the species back onto their native island homes.
Laura Read, Marwell Wildlife’s Chief Executive, said:
“We’re delighted to have contributed 1,640 snails to this year’s release.
"Snails may not be considered as the poster child for wildlife conservation, but they play an incredibly important role in the ecosystem, ensuring natural balance and enriching the environment around them.
"By pulling species like these back from the brink of extinction we’re able to make a real contribution to the future of our planet and to nature’s recovery."