Chester Zoo confirms greater Bermuda snail saved from extinction

Chester Zoo and international partners bred and returned thousands of greater Bermuda snails to Bermuda; officials report six established wild colonies and say the species is now safe.

Chester Zoo and international partners say they have brought the greater Bermuda snail back from the brink. The species, Poecilozonites bermudensis, was once thought lost but was rediscovered in Hamilton about a decade ago. Scientists and keepers at Chester Zoo bred the snails off-site and returned large numbers to protected woodland habitats in Bermuda. The announcement was made on Reverse the Red Day, a day linked to efforts to reverse biodiversity loss. What is known: - The greater Bermuda snail was rediscovered in an alleyway in Hamilton, Bermuda, roughly ten years ago. - Chester Zoo collaborated with the Bermuda government and Biolinx Environmental Research to breed the snails in specially designed pods and release them back to the wild. - Officials reported the programme began with fewer than 200 snails and that more than 100,000 have now been released. - Six colonies established from the releases are confirmed to be growing and expanding in range within Bermuda. - An assessment of how the snails are faring is forthcoming in Oryx, The International Journal of Conservation, and is cited as confirming the species is safe and secure. Summary: The reintroduction effort has established multiple wild colonies and is reported to have restored the greater Bermuda snail to Bermuda's ecosystem. The scientific assessment that underpins this status is due to be published in Oryx.