Polynesian tree snails are one to two centimetres long at maturity, and at birth they are only 1.5 millimetres. As detritivores, they feed on dead or decaying organic matter, making them an important contributor to nutrient cycling. Their muscular foot secretes mucus which contains moisture-absorbing proteins, helping them stick to the undersides of leaves.
Fun fact – These snails are hermaphroditic, meaning they can self-reproduce if they don’t find a mate!
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Ecology
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Threats
The main cause of their extinction in the wild was predation by the carnivorous rosy wolf snail, which was introduced to control giant African land snails. The giant African land snails were originally intended as a human food source, but escaped and began damaging local crops. Rather than preying on African land snails, the rosy wolf snails ate the slower-moving Polynesian tree snails, driving them to extinction.
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Conservation
As this species is now extinct in the wild, captive breeding is their only hope of survival. An international captive breeding programme has been set up in zoos across North America and Europe, with reintroductions planned in the Polynesian Islands. Further research is needed to find ways for them to coexist with the rosy wolf snail to make introductions successful. The samples stored by Nature’s SAFE may be a crucial part of improving the genetic diversity and the numbers of future Polynesian tree snail populations.
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Preserved January 2024
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