Chester Zoo breeds rare snail threatened with extinction

The Desertas Island land snail was previously thought to have been extinct

Chester Zoo has successfully bred a rare snail that was discovered "clinging to survival" near the Portuguese island of Madeira.

More than 1,200 of the snails, measuring 1mm, were hatched in a breeding scheme after they were threatened with extinction.

Two species of the Desertas Island land snail were flown from Portugal to zoos in Chester and Bristol in June.

Curator Dr Gerardo Garcia said it was an "incredible achievement".

Fewer than 300 of the invertebrates were found on rocky terrain on one of the Desertas islands, near Madeira, between 2012 and 2017.

The creatures were previously thought to have been extinct for about 100 years.

Portuguese conservationists closely monitored the snails and found numbers were "rapidly declining" due to predators on the island, Chester Zoo said.

About 60 were then flown to the UK, where specialists formed a recovery plan.

A baby Desertas island land snail measures around 1mm and can grow up to one inch (2.5cm)

Chester Zoo said experts created special centres which replicated the snail's ideal breeding conditions.

Dr Garcia said: "Urgent action was required when only a handful of these special snails were found clinging on to survival.

"There was a lot of pressure to find answers quickly. It's an incredible achievement."

Dr Garcia said the breeding programme would provide a "sustainable future" for the snails.

A number of the creatures would be reintroduced to new locations in the Desertas islands, the zoo added.

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