Oahu Tree Snails-The Voice of the Forest

Hawai‘i was once home to over 750 species of terrestrial snails — one of the most stunning examples of species radiations in the world. But over the years, these unique Hawai‘i species have been declining due to invasive predators, habitat destruction, and over collection. The entire genus Achatinella — which consists of 41 species of small, colorful tree snails — is endemic to O‘ahu. Of those, 30 species are believed to be extinct and 11 are near extinction. In Hawaiian culture and oral history, the snails, kāhuli or pūpū kani oe, are known as the voices of the forest and are described as singing as they travel up and down the trees. Though their voices may have grown dim, we are still working to keep their song alive. <a href="https://medium.com/usfwspacificislands/oahu-tree-snails-the-voice-of-the-forest-dab3ac3b236b">Read More</a>