Bermuda's Beloved Snails Make Triumphant Return After Decade-Long Conservation Effort
In a remarkable victory for conservationists, a species of tiny snail once feared extinct has been rediscovered in its native Bermuda habitat. The greater Bermuda snail (Poecilozonites bermudensis), which had been all but lost due to habitat destruction and the introduction of invasive predators, has now thrived thanks to a decade-long international effort.
In 2014, a small population of the snails was discovered in an alleyway in Hamilton, the island capital. Since then, conservationists at Chester zoo, the government of Bermuda, and partner organizations have worked tirelessly to breed and release over 100,000 snails back into the wild. The efforts paid off when a recent assessment found that the species has now been established in six areas across the islands.
"This is every conservationist's dream come true," said Tamás Papp, assistant team manager at Chester zoo. "It's a testament to the power of collaboration and the role zoos can play in preventing extinction."
The snails' resurgence is attributed to the development of specialized breeding programs at Chester zoo, which allowed for the creation of optimal conditions for the species to thrive. The captive-bred snails have been released into protected wooded habitats, where they have been shielded from invasive predators through biosecurity measures.
"The restoration of this snail species is an important part of restoring degraded ecosystems," said Dr. Kristiina Ovaska, a biologist with Biolinx Environmental Research. "The snails play a vital role in nutrient cycling and serving as prey for larger animals."
With the greater Bermuda snail now safely established in its native habitat, conservationists are shifting their focus to breeding another rare species of snail, the lesser Bermuda land snail (Poecilozonites circumfirmatus). This success story serves as a powerful reminder of the impact that concerted efforts can have on preserving endangered species and protecting delicate ecosystems.
In a remarkable victory for conservationists, a species of tiny snail once feared extinct has been rediscovered in its native Bermuda habitat. The greater Bermuda snail (Poecilozonites bermudensis), which had been all but lost due to habitat destruction and the introduction of invasive predators, has now thrived thanks to a decade-long international effort.
In 2014, a small population of the snails was discovered in an alleyway in Hamilton, the island capital. Since then, conservationists at Chester zoo, the government of Bermuda, and partner organizations have worked tirelessly to breed and release over 100,000 snails back into the wild. The efforts paid off when a recent assessment found that the species has now been established in six areas across the islands.
"This is every conservationist's dream come true," said Tamás Papp, assistant team manager at Chester zoo. "It's a testament to the power of collaboration and the role zoos can play in preventing extinction."
The snails' resurgence is attributed to the development of specialized breeding programs at Chester zoo, which allowed for the creation of optimal conditions for the species to thrive. The captive-bred snails have been released into protected wooded habitats, where they have been shielded from invasive predators through biosecurity measures.
"The restoration of this snail species is an important part of restoring degraded ecosystems," said Dr. Kristiina Ovaska, a biologist with Biolinx Environmental Research. "The snails play a vital role in nutrient cycling and serving as prey for larger animals."
With the greater Bermuda snail now safely established in its native habitat, conservationists are shifting their focus to breeding another rare species of snail, the lesser Bermuda land snail (Poecilozonites circumfirmatus). This success story serves as a powerful reminder of the impact that concerted efforts can have on preserving endangered species and protecting delicate ecosystems.
after years of being pushed to the edge. It's awesome to see conservationists coming together to save these tiny creatures & their habitats 
Their work is paying off, but there are still so many more species at risk - let's keep the momentum going! 
they've revived thier snail pop'n after 1 decade of conservation efforts LOL! i mean, it's not every day u hear bout a snail making a comeback 
like, these tiny guys were thought to be extinct but nope! thx 2 the hard work of thos at chester zoo & gov bermuda its amazing 2 c conservation succeed 
. 
. But thanks to the help of zoos and conservationists, we can now see them living their best lives in Bermuda. And I'm sure they're super happy about all the yummy leaves they get to munch on 
. Maybe one day we'll have a whole ecosystem thriving with these snails and other creatures!
! It's amazing to think about how far conservation has come in just one decade. Those snails were really at risk of being wiped out, but now they're thriving in their natural habitat thanks to a team effort from zoos, the government, and other organizations. It just goes to show that when people work together, they can make real differences 
. It's amazing to think that just a few years ago this species was on the brink of extinction, and now it's thriving in its natural habitat 
anyway, its def a testament to how much work can b done w/ collaboration & teamwork - zoos r doin their thang 2 help these little guys thrive 
conservationists are literally the real MVPs here. i mean, who would've thought that a tiny little snail could make such a huge comeback? 
it's awesome to see all the hard work paying off and the ecosystem flourishing again. let's keep up the good work and hope more species follow suit 
about this awesome news! Conservationists are the real MVPs 
, working tirelessly for over a decade to save these tiny snails 
. The breeding programs at Chester zoo were pure genius 
. Now, let's keep up the momentum and save those lesser Bermuda land snails too 
#SnailConservation #BermudaSnails #EndangeredSpecies #WildlifeProtection
), even the most unlikely creatures can thrive again! now let's keep the momentum going and get these lesser Bermuda land snails breeding too! 
. It's like, we knew it was possible to bring back extinct species. The fact that it took a decade of work from Chester zoo, govt of Bermuda, and other orgs is impressive tho 