Zoos help to save a tiny snail found in only one lake in Wales

A very rare snail that lives in just one lake in the United Kingdom is in danger of disappearing forever. To save it, a family in Wales has spent years breeding the tiny creatures in a greenhouse in their backyard. Now, several British zoos have joined the effort, giving the snail a better chance of survival.

The snail is called the glutinous snail, or Myxas glutinosa. It gets its name from the slimy, gooey coating that covers its thin, brown shell, which has tiny flecks of gold. The shell is no bigger than a fingertip, but the snail has large, floppy antennae that its biggest fan says look like 'big floppy ears.'

The glutinous snail used to live in rivers and lakes all across the UK. Over time, water pollution and the loss of clean habitats pushed the snail to the edge of extinction. Today, the only place it still lives in the wild in the UK is Llyn Tegid, the largest natural lake in Wales, located in Eryri National Park — also known as Snowdonia.

Conservationist Ian Hughes has made it his life's mission to protect this tiny creature. Since 2014, he has been wading into the cold lake to collect snails and study them. He even built small concrete shelters in the lake to give the snails safe places to rest and grow.

Hughes also set up a captive population — a group of snails raised by humans — in a greenhouse at his home in Llanarth, Wales. At first, he worried the snails would not survive. Then, after four months, he spotted eggs in the tank — a huge breakthrough, because no one had ever knowingly seen their eggs before.

Saving the snails has become a team effort for the whole Hughes family. Ian's wife Kerry and their sons Jake, George, and Ben all help take care of the snails and other endangered animals, including scarlet malachite beetles, ladybird spiders, and tadpole shrimp. Ben, who is 27, said that wading into a freezing lake in January is tough, but 'knowing that you're helping is more than enough to make it all worth it.'

The family is now working with the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums, known as BIAZA, to move some of their snails to wildlife parks across England. This is an important first step toward releasing the snails back into the wild someday. The project is part of a £60 million program backed by the UK government to protect rare species.

Wingham Wildlife Park in Kent was one of the first parks to receive the snails. Samantha Eden, an assistant curator there, traveled to the Hughes home to pick up 24 glutinous snails. The park set up three new ponds where staff will breed the snails, study their needs, and learn more about how to keep them healthy.

Nicky Needham, head of species management at BIAZA, said scientists are studying the snails' behavior, care needs, and genetics to build a full picture of what the species needs to survive. She said she hopes the snails could be reintroduced to the wild within three years. 'With fingers and toes crossed I'd like to think that we could achieve that within three years' time,' she said.

Climate change is making things harder for the snails and other rare species. Simon Jones, assistant warden at Eryri National Park, said the snails are 'at an increased threat' because of rising temperatures and changing conditions. But with the zoos' help, he believes there is a stronger chance of keeping the population alive.

For Ian Hughes, having more experts involved is exactly the right move. He compared the glutinous snail to an Egyptian artefact — something ancient, precious, and worth protecting. 'For me they're an absolute treasure,' he said, 'and preserving them is a duty to our children and grandchildren.'