Extinct Bermuda Snail Returns After 40-Year Disappearance

A tiny snail that vanished from Bermuda for four decades is making an extraordinary comeback, proving that even the smallest species can stage a dramatic recovery.

The greater Bermuda land snail was thought extinct until 2014, when someone discovered a small colony surviving in a concrete alleyway. Wildlife ecologist Mark Outerbridge couldn't believe what locals had found: a species last seen in the wild in the 1970s, clinging to life in the most unlikely place.

Conservationists partnered with Chester Zoo in England to breed the quarter-inch snails in specially designed pods. Between 2019 and 2022, they released 106,000 snails across 27 locations throughout Bermuda and its offshore islands.

The results surprised even the scientists. Six island colonies are now thriving and expanding, with snails reproducing and spreading from their release sites. The species proved tougher than anyone expected, surviving decades in an urban environment and flourishing in captivity.

Mainland releases didn't succeed because of hungry predators like rats, feral chickens, and carnivorous snails. But the offshore islands, protected from these threats, became perfect homes for the comeback snails.

The Ripple Effect

These tiny mollusks play an outsized role in their ecosystem. They munch on living and dead plants, recycling nutrients back into the soil. They also serve as food for larger animals, making them essential players in keeping island habitats healthy.

The success represents something rare in conservation work. Animal and plant director Gerardo Garcia at Chester Zoo said it's unusual for teams to bring animals into human care, release them, and declare their work done. But that's exactly what happened here.

The team is celebrating on Reverse the Red day, an international event recognizing efforts to restore biodiversity. The International Journal of Conservation plans to publish a full assessment of the recovery.

Scientists now hope to establish at least ten self-sustaining populations and are working to restore the lesser Bermuda land snail, a smaller cousin that has proven trickier to reestablish.

Outerbridge credits the partnership between Bermuda's Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Chester Zoo, and Canadian researchers for making the impossible possible.

When a species survives 40 years in a concrete alley, hope has a way of taking root in the most unexpected places.