“Over a Thousand Tiny Snails Returned to Remote Island Habitat”

Critically Endangered Snails Reintroduced to Wild After Century-Long Absence

Over 1,300 critically endangered land snails, bred in captivity, have been released back into the wild on a remote island off Madeira. These snails were once believed to be extinct, with no sightings for over a century.

The successful reintroduction follows a rescue mission after conservationists discovered a small surviving population on Deserta Grande island between 2012 and 2017. Now, their offspring are being returned to a protected environment on Bugio island, where invasive species have been removed, giving the snails a chance to thrive once again.

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