Hawaiian Land Snail Conservation
This website provides a guide to the native and introduced land snails in Hawaii.
Native Species
Jewels of the forest.
The Hawaiian land snail fauna is arguably the most diverse in the world in relation to land area: >750 recognized species in only 10 families. Unfortunately, the highest number of documented extinctions of any taxonomic group since the 1500s are Pacific island land snails. Extinction estimates of Hawaiian land snail families range from 50-95%.
Introduced Species
Diversity Lost.
Compounding the extinction plight of the Hawaiian land snail fauna, Hawaii also has more established non-indigenous land snails than any other island or archipelago in the Pacific. Many of these are invasive in natural ecosystems and/or vectors of human and livestock diseases, such as the Rat Lungworm (Angiostrongylus cantonensis). As of 2018, there are now 53 established non-indigenous land snails established in Hawaii.
Why are Hawaiʻi's snails going extinct?
Compounding the extinction plight of the Hawaiian land snail fauna, Hawaii also has more established non-indigenous land snails than any other island or archipelago in the Pacific. Many of these are invasive in natural ecosystems and/or vectors of human and livestock diseases, such as the Rat Lungworm (Angiostrongylus cantonensis). As of 2018, there are now 53 established non-indigenous land snails established in Hawaii.