London, UK – November 27, 2025 – A city-wide effort is underway to locate and protect the critically endangered German hairy snail, a species no larger than a โฃfingernail, โคas conservationists and citizen scientists collaborate on urgent surveys across โLondon.
More than 100 volunteers are participating in the surveys, led by Citizen Zoo and the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), to map the distribution of the rare mollusc and inform targeted conservationโฃ strategies. Despite its historical presence – fossilized remains suggest it inhabitedโฃ Britain senceโ at least the Neolithic period and potentially โas far back as the โlast Ice โAge – the German hairy snail wasn’t โคofficially recorded in Britain until 1982.
Named for the tiny fibers covering โits shell, which aid in moistureโค retention and clinging to vegetation, the snail’s population has drastically declined due to habitat loss and pollution.It โis now believed to be โrestricted to fragmented โฃpatches alongโ the River Thames.
“These surveys will help us understand how the snail is โขfaringโ and how we can protect it,not only securing โtheir future โfor years to come but โalso helping safeguard green spaces โthroughout London for people and wildlife for future generations,” explains Joe Pecorelli,a freshwater conservation program manager at ZSL.
Survey teams, โคsupported by partners including London Wildlife Trust,โ the Conchological Society of Great Britain and the Portโค of London Authority, have already identifiedโ the snail in locations such as โฃRichmond upon Thames, Iselworth โAit, and near Kew.
Elliot Newton, Director of rewilding at Citizen Zoo, described his excitement upon discoveringโฃ one of the snails, calling themโฃ “stunning, curious-looking” creatures. “the surveys show how, by working together across the capital with many partners and empowering local communities, we can gain a deeper understanding of London’s more hidden biodiversityโ and take steps to protect it,” he โคadded.
