1,329 tiny snails released on remote island

Thanks to Maggie Swindells for this link.

Over 1,300 critically endangered, pea-sized snails, bred in a zoological facility, have been released into a remote Atlantic island habitat.

This reintroduction effort restores two species of Desertas Island land snails to the wild, species previously presumed extinct due to a century-long absence of confirmed sightings. Following the discovery of a small surviving population by a conservation team on the rocky cliffs of Deserta Grande island near Madeira, a comprehensive rescue and breeding program was implemented.

The snails were subsequently transferred to zoos in the UK and France, including Chester Zoo, where specialized breeding facilities were established.

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