New Zealand's carnivorous land snails are facing a severe extinction threat, according to a Department of Conservation report

There are stark warnings that an animal that New Zealand is well known for on the global stage is heading towards a catastrophic population decline. The Department of Conservation (DoC) has warned that 48 species of carnivorous land snails native to New Zealand are now under more threat due to climate change and increased predators. Without urgent change, New Zealand could face a 95 percent decline in the population of carnivorous land snails within a few decades, warned Dr Kath Walker, a science advisor for DoC and the leader of the report into snails and extinction. New Zealand has some of the most spectacular land snails in the world and they are "extremely diverse". There is also a high level of endemism amongst snails in New Zealand, meaning many of the species are only found in single-defined geographic locations. DoC's latest report on New Zealand's carnivorous land snails evaluated the threat classification of 109 different species. Of the 109 species assessed, 48 have ...