Madeira's Bugio Island sees release of hundreds of near‑extinct snails from Chester Zoo breeding program

Conservationists from Chester Zoo in the United Kingdom, aided by France's ZooParc de Beauval, have released more than 300 captive‑bred snails and 270 individuals bred in France onto Bugio Island in the Madeira archipelago, Portugal. The snails – representing four endemic species including Geomitra coronula and Discula lyelliana – were part of a rescue breeding program launched after the Madeira government requested help to prevent their extinction. The release follows intensive habitat preparation, including removal of invasive goats, rabbits and mice that had devastated the island’s woodland. The reintroduced mollusks are expected to help restore soil health and bolster the island’s fragile ecosystem.

The effort marks a significant milestone in in‑situ conservation for the tiny, pea‑sized snails, which were once thought to survive on a single rock. By restoring these keystone invertebrates, the program aims to revive natural nutrient cycling and support broader biodiversity on the Deserta Islands.