坎贝尔龙骨玻璃蜗牛这一极为稀有的物种正在从灭绝边缘恢复。约1000只该蜗牛已被释放回诺福克岛的自然栖息地[1]。这一物种曾被认为已经灭绝超过30年，直到2020年被重新发现[1]。此后，由Taronga保护协会、澳大利亚博物馆、Park Australia、西悉尼大学和诺福克岛地区议会联合发起了澳洲首个蜗牛繁殖和重引入计划[1]。
该项目始于2021年，最初仅收集了16只蜗牛用于繁殖[1]。坎贝尔龙骨玻璃蜗牛具有独特的生殖方式，通过颈部的生殖孔产下活体幼蜗牛，每4到6天可产出一只新蜗牛[1]。在野外释放一年后的调查显示，这些蜗牛不仅存活下来，而且在野生环境中成功繁殖[1]，标志着这一濒危物种保护工作的重要突破。
Campbell's keeled glass snail, a critically endangered species that reproduces through a genital opening in its neck, has successfully returned from the brink of extinction through an ambitious breeding and reintroduction program. Approximately 1,000 snails bred in captivity have been released back into their natural habitat on Norfolk Island, marking a major conservation milestone.[1]
The species had vanished from the wild for more than three decades before being rediscovered in 2020 by Mark Scott.[1] Australia's first coordinated snail breeding and reintroduction initiative launched in 2021, beginning with just 16 individuals collected from the wild.[1] The snails' unique reproductive biology allows them to produce live young at a remarkable pace—each snail can give birth to a new individual every four to six days.[1] One year after the initial release into the wild, monitoring surveys confirmed that the reintroduced population had survived and successfully reproduced in their natural environment.[1]
The recovery effort represents collaboration among multiple institutions, including Taronga Conservation Society, the Australian Museum, Parks Australia, Western Sydney University, and the Norfolk Island Regional Council.[1]