The animals mentioned were bred and relocated to Bugio Island in the Madeira archipelago to restore the habitat and support biodiversity on the island. The measure shows an effort to save the nearly extinct snails, which were placed on an island where humans are not present.

Before this initiative, different zoos tried to save the mollusc species from extinction, as 21 slimy creatures were found almost dying, as mentioned by the Chester Zoo.

The Zoo, quoted by Fox Weather, stated that “over the course of a few hundred years, people managed to destroy the islands’ woodland and introduced rabbits and goats, which prevented native plants from regrowing.”

Since that moment, more than 300 snails were bred at the British zoo and released into the wild, in this case in Portugal. These creatures also have a vital role in nutrient cycling, as they break down organic matter.

The Zoo also expresses that the snails are no bigger than 8 millimetres in size; however, they are of massive importance to ecosystems by enriching the soil and eating vegetation.