First Ever Footage of a Giant New Zealand Snail Laying an Egg
2025-05-20
New Zealand's Department of Conservation has captured the first-ever footage of a threatened giant carnivorous snail, Powelliphanta augusta, laying an egg from its neck. Endemic to New Zealand, this snail's habitat was destroyed by mining, leading to conservation efforts. After nearly two decades of care in a controlled environment, rangers witnessed this remarkable event. Hermaphroditic, each snail lays about five eggs a year, with an incubation period exceeding a year. These snails live for 25-30 years, a stark contrast to common, fast-reproducing garden snails. The Powelliphanta augusta faced extinction due to mining but conservation efforts have yielded nearly 2000 snails in captivity.
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New Zealand snail