Rare creature declared extinct returns to wild after massive conservation effort

• Partula Tohiveana -Snail has been reclassified as critically threatened after they were previously declared extinct
• Snailns comeback is credited to a decades long conservation program led by the Zoological Society of London
• The rare species was reintroduced in French Polynesia and has begun to breed in nature

A small, rare creature is no longer extinct.

Partula Tohiveana -Snail has been reclassified as critically threatened by IUCN -red list after being previously declared extinct in nature, according to a release from Zoological Society of London (ZSL). ZSL is the charity behind the London Zoo.

The comeback’s comeback is credited to a decades long conservation program led by ZSL and its partners around the world. The success of the program led to the Snail’s reintroduction in French Polynesia.

“This is a landmark moment for Partula Tohiveana and for decades of international conservation work,” said London Zoo-curator Paul Pearce-Kelly, who also leads the conservation program, in a statement. “Seeing a species returning from the edge after years of cooperation efforts is exactly why we do what we do.”

He added, “demonstrating how conservation in zoos is about so much more than maintaining insurance populations-this inspirational news shows our real impact and how we give some of the most vulnerable species back from Brink of Extinction. As ZSL approaches its 200th birthday, this is a fantastic success for our long elementary preservation project.”

The press release states that the reclassification follows the discovery of adult partula -snails born in nature in Mo’orea.

Organizations that worked with the London Zoo conversation project include the French Polynesian government, University of Cambridge, and conservationist at Bristol Zoological Society, Detroit Zoological Society, Marwell Wildlife, Poznan Zoo, Riga Zoo, Royal Zoo, Royal Zoo, Royal Zool Society Whipsy, Wild Wild Wild Decaltay Zoo and Zoo Schwerin.

ZSL began breeding the snails in the 1980s after the invasive carnivorous rosy wolf snail began to threaten the wild population of Partula Tohiveana.

“The dedicated program saw conservationists to take care of and raise the species in carefully controlled conditions in the London Zoo and zoos worldwide before a large number of snails were marked with UV -reflective color and gently released in their forest environments in French Polynesia,” said release.

Peace-Kelly noted that the success of the program not only speaks of the resilience of the snail, but also to “the result of incredible international cooperation and commitment.”

Fiona Sach, ZSL’s Zoo Conservation Impact Manager, added: “It is extremely rewarding to see these snails not only survive but thrives in sure wild habitats again, and it gives us real hope for the many other species we work to get back from extinction.”

St. Louis Zoo, a US hub for the reintroduction program, announced The discovery of the wild-born party snail in September 2024.

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The reintroduction in 2024 was released by approximately 6,000 snails from 10 species and subspecies of party snails raised at zoos worldwide. Missouri Zoo coordinated the delivery of over 3,200 snails from many zoos to Tahiti for the publication.

St. The Louis Zoo collected about 1,000 of the released snails.