AssetID: 54638453
Headline: Scientists Shell-ebrate After Bringing Snail Back From Extinction
Caption: Scientists Shell-ebrate After Bringing Snail Back From Extinction. A rare species of Polynesian tree snail once believed to be extinct in the wild has been officially reclassified as critically endangered, following a decades-long conservation effort led by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), the charity behind London Zoo, and its global partners. Last year, conservationists made a significant breakthrough when they discovered wild-born adult Partula tohiveana in Moorea, confirming that the species is not only surviving but reproducing in its natural habitat. The snails were part of carefully managed annual reintroductions led by London Zoo, in collaboration with the French Polynesian Government, the University of Cambridge, and others. ZSL first began breeding Partula snails in the 1980s after their populations were decimated by the invasive rosy wolf snail (Euglandina rosea). Conservationists cared for and bred the snails in controlled environments at London Zoo and other facilities worldwide before reintroducing them to their native forests in French Polynesia. Each snail was carefully marked with UV reflective paint to monitor their progress in the wild. Paul Pearce-Kelly, Senior Curator of Invertebrates at London Zoo, called the development "a landmark moment for Partula tohiveana and for decades of international conservation work.”
Keywords: Natural World,Scientists,Snail,back,world,extinction,rare,species,Polynesian,tree,snails,extinct,endangered,conservation,Zoological Society of London,ZSL,London Zoo,breakthrough,discover,wild-born,Partula tohiveana,Moorea,reproducing,habitat,reintroductions,Euglandina rosea,environments,French Polynesia,landmark,work
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