HELP SAVE THIS SNAIL

Forest and Bird, Volume 18, Issue 2, 1 May 1987, Page 23

HELP SAVE THIS SNAIL

On a small hill near Cape Reinga there lives a very special and rare animal. Maori know it as pupuharakeke or flax snail.

It is probably one of the rarest snails in the world and is in danger of dying out completely. These snails are only found in small pockets of bush around the northern tip of New Zealand. The largest colony of pupuharakeke alive are found in the small patch of bush on Maungapiko Hill. Old people can remember when the entire hill was covered in bush and the pupuharakeke were everywhere. Today the bush canopy has been opened up for grazing, and thrushes and blackbirds prey on the exposed young snails. Pupuharakeke hide in thick moist leaf litter during the day and come out at night to eat the leaves that have fallen off native trees. Unfortunately sheep and cattle like to eat the same plants as the pupuharakeke. Without the leaves of their favourite trees the snails starve to death. This is what has been happening at Maungapiko. The only solution that will save these rare snails is to fence off the small patch of bush from the wild stock and to replant some of the native trees. Forest and Bird is supporting the efforts of the Save our Snails Society and the Maori land owners, the Muriwhenua Incorporation, to fence off the Maungapiko Hill bush to protect these unique snails. We need your help to save the snails. $4000 is needed for the fence. Please send your donations to: Snail Appeal Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society All donations to the Royal RO. Box 631 Forest and Bird Protection WELLINGTON Society are tax deductible.