The greater Bermuda snail (Poecilozonites bermudensis) was once believed extinct. Found only in Bermuda, this tiny snail was lost until a small group appeared in a damp alley in Hamilton in 2014. After ten years of work, conservationists have bred and released over 100,000 snails, saving the species from extinction. Tamás Papp, assistant team manager at Chester zoo, said, “It’s every conservationist’s dream to help save a whole species – and that’s exactly what we’ve done. This scientific confirmation that we’ve saved them is testament to the role zoos can play in preventing extinction, and in the power of collaboration, and is something everyone involved will carry in their heart.” The snails faced many threats, including climate change, habitat loss, and predators like wolf snails and carnivorous flatworms that devoured the smaller native snails. At Chester zoo, keepers made special habitats to breed the snails in captivity. Since 2019, they have released generations of snails into protected forests, keeping predators away with biosecurity measures. A recent population study, to be published in the International Journal of Conservation, shows the snails are now living well in six forest areas. The recovery was celebrated on the IUCN’s “reverse the red day,” highlighting efforts to reverse species loss. Dr Mark Outerbridge from Bermuda's government said, “It has been extremely gratifying to be involved with this reintroduction programme and to see these snails back in Bermuda’s ecosystem again. It is remarkable to think we only began with less than 200 snails and have now released over 100,000.” Dr Kristiina Ovaska from Biolinx Environmental Research added, “The snails function both as prey for larger animals and as consumers of live and decaying vegetation, so they are vital for turning over nutrients within their habitat.” Chester zoo is now working to save another rare species, the lesser Bermuda land snail (Poecilozonites circumfirmatus).