AKRON, Ohio — Two experts from the Akron Zoo recently traveled to the South Pacific, helping to reintroduce an extinct species into the wild.
According to a release, the Akron Zoo partnered on the reintroduction of Partula snails to their native French Polynesian Islands. Partula snails are listed as extinct in the wild by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species.
Earlier this month, Akron Zoo Animal Care Manager Kathleen Balogh and Zookeeper Elizabeth Maille, traveled to Tahiti to release 1,100 Partula snails that had been bred in Akron. Zoo officials say Partula snails "play a vital role in the ecological system of the French Polynesian islands through maintaining forest health by feeding on decaying plants. Returning them to the islands helps to restore the islands’ ecology."
Partula snails were declared extinct in the wild in the 1990s. Zoos around the world stepped up to bring in the remaining snails for breeding, including the Akron Zoo in 2000. Akron Zoo says since that time, it has been actively participating in Partula snail reintroductions. Around 25,000 snails have been released in the last nine years, making it the largest reintroduction of a species extinct in the wild.
“This experience was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” said Balogh. “Being able to work with several institutions across the world in the huge effort was amazing. In a few years, we’re hoping that Partula snails can be reclassified as no longer extinct in the wild.”