A tiny species on the move
The glutinous snail, a creature no bigger than a fingertip, is currently the subject of an intense rescue mission. Once common across UK waterways, these snails have faced such extreme habitat loss and environmental pressure that they were thought to only exist in Llyn Tegid, a lake in Wales. Now, a team of UK zoos is stepping in to ensure they don't go extinct.
Wingham Wildlife Park in Kent recently joined the effort to breed and eventually reintroduce these snails into the wild. Samantha Eden, assistant curator at the park, shared a wild detail about the transit process: the snails were so productive that they started laying eggs during the six-hour drive from Wales to the zoo. “They’d laid eggs literally whilst we were driving,” Eden noted.
Breeding for a comeback
The program is already seeing serious success. After starting with a small group of adults, the park has successfully moved 130 babies into a new colony pond. Hannah Ellins, the park's head of reptiles and invertebrates, says the team is excited to work with a native species rather than just the typical exotic animals they usually care for.
Wingham isn’t doing it alone. They are part of a nationwide network including Chester Zoo, Dudley Zoo, Longleat, and Askham Bryan Wildlife Park. Together, they are working alongside the Freshwater Habitats Trust to scout out new, safe environments where these snails can eventually be released to rebuild their population in the wild.
Why it matters
Saving the glutinous snail is a crucial step in maintaining biodiversity in UK freshwater ecosystems, proving that even the smallest creatures are essential to the health of our environment.
