Five of the seven Moorean Partula were rescued and now exist in limited numbers in zoos and biological research stations around the world. London Zoo has started to reintroduce some of the Partula to Moorea, specifically Partula taeniata, Partura tohiveana and Partula suturalis, but it will be a long and laborious process to rid the island the Predator Snail.
The extinction story, sadly, does not end there. Euglandina has now spread to the adjacent Tahiti. Partula now survives in only 2 valleys. Mass extinction is occurring at present of the remaining populations.
The notion of biological control is simple, effective and above all, in such a chemically sensitive political environment, a brilliant solution to our pest problems-better a natural predator than a chemical poison. True to a degree, however, application of biological control must be very well researched and thought out. Partula on Moorea acts as an epitaph to that.
Cooperator
World Wild Fund for Nature (WWF)
The Zoological Society of London
Bristol Zoo
