Issue 6: Hawaiian Tree Snails

Mai kapae i ke a`o ka makua aia he ola malaila.

Don't set aside your parents teaching, for there is life there.

Organism of the Week! : Hawaiian Tree snail
Given how the founder of our club is currently working towards the conservation of these creatures (check it out here), I thought it would be prudent to do at least a cursory blog about them.  Unfortunately, I do not know the different names of the few species that still survive today, ergo general research on Hawaiian tree snails.
There used to be quite a few different species of tree snail, but these days that number has dwindled down to  an embarrassingly low number.

These species are endangered (and extinct) due primarily to the disappearance of their native habitat - the presence of these tree snails indicate a healthy, unspoiled habitat, but due to predation and invasive species of plants, these snails are disappearing.  Some of these species are down to the last several hundred specimens which are kept in labs to encourage a safe environment for them.

Now the use of these snails historically is for their pretty shells.  Ancient (and present) Hawaiians made lei with these striking shells.  This required many of them, but apparently did not have a significant affect on the population.  Kind of remarkable given how very many shells were needed for a single lei - no, invasive plants can pretty much take all the blame for these species dying out or becoming endangered.

-Sabrina Robello
Sourced: Here mostly


Community Events!
Towards Green Mauka and Blue Makai - Wed June 6, 3-4pm, Queen Lili`uokalani Center Rm 412
Fulbright Scholar Mojca Stubelj Ars from Slovenia presents here research findings after spending a year at UHM researching the connection between environmental education and sustainable choices int he tourism industry here in Hawaii.