Over 6,000 ‘extinct’ snails return to the wild, with a re-established wild species now confirmed

A global conservation effort to reintroduce a tiny snail to the wild is celebrating a momentous milestone, as 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.

During the annual reintroduction of the zoo-bred Extinct in the Wild and Critically Endangered snails to their French Polynesian island home –  which this year saw zoos around the world restore over 6,000 snails to Moorea – the team, led by ZSL’s Senior Curator of Invertebrates & Fish and Partula project coordinator, Paul Pearce-Kelly, found unmarked Partula tohiveana: proof that previously reintroduced snails have successfully bred in the area.

The momentous discovery means Partula tohiveana can now be considered as established – an incredibly rewarding result for 40 years of dedication and collaboration. Conservationists will now begin the process of downlisting the snails 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 yellow UV reflective paint. The ‘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.

London Zoo’s Senior Curator of Invertebrates, Paul Pearce-Kelly, who leads the Partula conservation programme, said: “Though little these snails have great cultural, scientific and conservation value. Partula snails have always been part of Polynesia’s rich cultural heritage and play an important role in the ecological health of their forest habitats. They’ve also been studied for over a century for the insights they give into how species evolve in isolated environments. Most recently, they’re providing a valuable conservation model for helping hundreds of endangered island species.”

“This collaborative conservation effort is playing a crucial role in saving these species from extinction. It’s a powerful example of how conservation zoos can combat biodiversity loss. At a time when nature faces unprecedented challenges, these small snails are a symbol of hope for global wildlife.”

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.

Paul said: “After decades of caring for these species in conservation zoos and working with the Direction de l’environnement to prepare the islands, we started reintroducing Partula snails back into their lowland tropical forests almost 10 years ago. Since then, we’ve reintroduced over 30,000 snails, including 10 Extinct-in-the-Wild species and subspecies, with this year’s release being the largest so far, thanks to our international team and collaborators, including mollusc specialist Dr. Justin Gerlach of Peterhouse, University of Cambridge.”

Kerry Marcus, Bristol Zoological Society’s Senior Ectotherm Keeper, said: “As a conservation and education charity working in nine countries across four continents, Bristol Zoological Society is very proud to be involved in this breeding project. It’s fantastic to be a part of such a vital conservation collaboration and to witness the positive impact the return of this important species has to a fragile forest ecosystem that relies on their survival. Partula snails play an important role in maintaining tropical tree health in French Polynesia by recycling nutrients from plant debris. Since the project started back in 1986, over 21,000 individuals of 11 previously Extinct-in-the-Wild species of Partula snails have been reintroduced into the wild on four different islands in French Polynesia.”

Christophe Brocherieux, Environment Department of French Polynesia’s Environment Project Manager, said: “We're really proud to be part of this massive reintroduction project and to be able to contribute to it. The results are really encouraging.”

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. We have been delighted to work with many other partners on this project, including ZSL and it is testament to what can be achieved when we all work together.”

Jo Elliot, Royal Zoological Society of Scotland’s Curator, said: “It is extremely exciting to be able to send over 2,500 of our Partula snails, which we have been breeding at Edinburgh Zoo for 40 years, to be reintroduced directly back into their native habitat. As a wildlife conservation charity, we are proud to be part of this vital collaborative breeding project, which is giving this incredible species a significant boost. Our success within the Partula snail programme is owed to the teams who began the work here at Edinburgh Zoo many years ago and to those who now form the wider project partnership, working to ensure this initiative goes from strength to strength. This is a really wonderful conservation success story and further demonstrates the critical role zoos play in species recovery.”

London Zoo’s coordination of the Partula snail reintroduction project is made possible due to funding from supporters including the Players of the People’s Postcode Lottery, who have enabled London Zoo to continue bringing species back from the brink of extinction.

To explore the vital conservation work being carried out at London Zoo - a ZSL conservation zoo - head to www.londonzoo.org.