From a small lab in Windward Oahu, scientists race against time to save rare Hawaiian snails

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - At the state’s Rare Snail Captive Rearing Laboratory on Oahu’s Windward side, rows of clear cases hold about 2,000 of Hawaii’s rare tree snails — some, the last of their kind in the world.

One species, called achatinellla fulgens, had dwindled down to six snails just 18 months ago.

The good news: Now, there are more than 30.

“We brought them all into captivity here,” said David Sischo, wildlife biologist and the coordinator of the state’s Snail Extinction Prevention program. “It’s pretty hard to describe the feeling of holding an entire species literally in your hands.”

The laboratory houses and cares for 30 different rare snail species. Five of them were on the brink of extinction.

"Where people have known about them for hundreds of years and documented them, we've watched those populations disappear completely," Sischo said.

Scientists said there used to be over 750 different native species of snails throughout the state.

[Also read: Hawaii ‘behind’ in planning for unprecedented threats of climate change, state officials say]

But that number dropped dramatically because of predators, habitat destruction and over collection of the snails for their colorful shells.

Currently, 44 species of Hawaiian tree snails are listed as endangered.

The lab provides a safe place for them to reproduce.

"It's very exciting when we have births in those really low level species," laboratory manager Lindsay Renshaw said.

The chambers they live in mimic their natural environment. Scientists regulate temperature and humidity and exposure to light and dark.

"I treat all of the snails here with a ton of respect and care, knowing that I'm taking care of some of the last of a species," Renshaw said.

When the numbers of new mature snails are sufficient, certain species are re-introduced into protected areas.

“That’s probably my favorite thing about the job is to actually putting the animals that we’ve labored over in the lab and put them back out into the wild,” Sischo said.

Besides the Department of Land and Natural Resources, the lab project involves federal agencies and private entities.

The scientists have the tools to save the rare snails. The challenge is getting to them before time runs out.

Copyright 2018 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.