A land snail once feared extinct is beginning a new chapter in the rainforests of Norfolk Island National Park. Conservation teams have completed the captive-breeding phase for Campbell’s keeled glass-snail and released the final 1,000 animals into a secluded valley.
The species, found nowhere else, disappeared from scientific view for nearly 25 years before a citizen scientist rediscovered it in 2020. A small founding group was transferred to Taronga Zoo Sydney, creating the basis of Australia’s first snail translocation program. An initial 300 animals were released in July 2025.
The latest release is more than a numbers story. Rangers monitoring the earlier site have found evidence that snails born in the wild are now present. Because individuals generally live 12 to 13 months in captivity, animals found a year after the first release are likely the product of natural breeding.
Norfolk Island is a global hotspot for land-snail diversity, with nearly 70 native species. Damp niau-palm bases and forest-floor biofilm provide the food and shelter Campbell’s keeled glass-snails need, but introduced predators remain a serious threat. Park teams use traps, carefully selected baits and thermal cameras, and researchers are assessing the effect of feral chickens.
The project shows how citizen observation, zoo breeding, academic research and long-term park management can combine to recover an easily overlooked species. Success will ultimately mean a self-sustaining population, not simply a large release day.
Source: Parks Australia