UK zoos take in rare snails bred in a Welsh back garden

British zoos have begun taking in captive-bred glutinous snails, one of Europe’s rarest species, from conservationist Ian Hughes, who bred them in a greenhouse in Llanarth, Ceredigion. The mollusc survives in the wild in only one UK lake, Llyn Tegid in Eryri National Park, Wales.

What is the glutinous snail and where does it live?

Myxas glutinosa is named for the gooey mantle covering its delicate, gold-flecked brown shell. It is no bigger than a fingertip but has comically large antennae, which Ian Hughes likens to “big floppy ears”. The snail feeds on algae and is considered an indicator of healthy lakes and rivers. It has been driven to extinction across England, with polluted water and habitat loss largely blamed. Its last known UK refuge is Llyn Tegid, Wales’ largest natural lake, in Eryri National Park, also known as Snowdonia, where the National Trust has set out a £1m plan to restore valley habitats.

How did a captive population start?

Since 2014, Ian Hughes has waded into Llyn Tegid under licence from Natural Resources Wales to collect and study the snails. He designed and installed small concrete shelters for them in the lake and set up a captive population in a greenhouse at his home. After four months, eggs were spotted in the tank. “Nobody had knowingly seen their eggs before we made that breakthrough,” he said. Rearing the snails has become a family affair, with Hughes’s wife Kerry and their sons Jake, George and Ben all involved. Ben, 27, said: “You’ve got to have a certain mindset to walk out into a freezing cold lake in the middle of January.” The effort sits alongside other Welsh conservation research, including work that has flagged gaps in evidence on badger TB vaccination in Wales.

Where are the snails being moved to?

The Hughes family is working with the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) to relocate some snails to wildlife parks in England, a first step towards restoring them to the wild under a £60m UK government-backed scheme to protect rare species. Samantha Eden, assistant curator at Wingham Wildlife Park in Kent, travelled to the Hughes home to collect 24 glutinous snails. “We’ve got a new facility that we’ve set up for them — three beautiful ponds where we’re going to be breeding them, learning about them and understanding a little bit more about their environmental needs,” she said. Askham Bryan Wildlife Park in York, Longleat in Wiltshire, Dudley Zoo and Chester Zoo are also taking part; the Freshwater Habitats Trust is searching for water bodies where the snails could eventually be released.

When could the snails return to the wild?

Nicky Needham, head of species management and conservation at BIAZA, said the project is researching the snails’ ecology, husbandry and genetics. “If we can build up a really strong picture then we’re in a good position to reintroduce some of them,” she said, adding that she hoped that could happen “within three years’ time”.

What does climate change mean for the species?

Simon Jones, assistant warden at Eryri National Park, said the park was “really proud” to be home to the “unique species”, and that climate change means such species are “at an increased threat” and, with the zoos’ help, “there’s more of a chance of keeping the population alive”. Separate research has found that cleaner air is speeding up global warming. Hughes said: “Having all your eggs in one basket is always a dangerous move so having more experts looking after it is really the right way to go.” He described the snails as “an absolute treasure — like an Egyptian artefact”.

Frequently asked questions

Where is the glutinous snail found in the UK?

In the wild, its last known UK refuge is Llyn Tegid, Wales’ largest natural lake, in Eryri National Park. The species has been driven to extinction across England.

Why did the glutinous snail disappear from England?

Polluted water and habitat loss are largely blamed for its disappearance from England, according to conservationists working on its recovery.

Which zoos are involved in the glutinous snail breeding programme?

Wingham Wildlife Park in Kent, Askham Bryan Wildlife Park in York, Longleat in Wiltshire, Dudley Zoo and Chester Zoo are taking part, coordinated by the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA).

Who bred the snails now being sent to zoos?

Conservationist Ian Hughes bred them in a greenhouse at his home in Llanarth, Ceredigion, working with his wife Kerry and their sons Jake, George and Ben.

With reporting from BBC News.

Stock image, not from the events described. 2020 Freshwater snails from ponds in Cascajal Coronado Costa Rica Family Physidae — Julián Monge-Nájera / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)