Adult P. bermudensis (Photo by Dr Mark Outerbridge)
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has released the latest recovery plan for two of Bermuda's endemic land snails, Poecilozonites bermudensis and Poecilozonites circumfirmatus.
Both snails are listed as protected under the Protected Species Act (2003) and have been classified as Critically Endangered under the Protected Species Amendment Order (2016).
DENR prepares and publishes recovery plans to outline the actions that are believed to be required to recover and/or protect listed species. These plans are subject to change, should there be any new findings, changes in species status or the completion of recovery actions.
Adult P. circumfirmatus (Photo by Dr Mark Outerbridge)
The genus Poecilozonites contains at least four species of snails, all of which are endemic to Bermuda. Two of them, Poecilozonites nelsoni and Poecilozonites reinianus are extinct. The two surviving species are Poecilozonites circumfirmatus and Poecilozonites bermudensis.
Thought to be extinct for decades, P. bermudensis was rediscovered in dramatic fashion in a damp and overgrown allyway in the middle of the City of Hamilton.
Click here to read the Royal Gazette article about the amazing discovery.