Amsterdam zoo helps threatened Polynesian snails

Translated from Dutch daily Algemeen Dagblad today:

Artis [zoo in Amsterdam] is committed to preserve endangered Polynesian tree snails. Amsterdam’s zoo is breeding snails in their Insectarium. After the breeding they will go back to their natural habitat on the island group in the Pacific.

Things go badly for the native snails in French Polynesia, of which Tahiti is the most famous island. The arrival of a carnivorous snail species made certain species of tree snails extinct, while those are important for the biodiversity of the tropical islands. In the Insectarium of Artis are 687 tree snails of three Tahitian species.

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