Conservationists Unite to Protect One of the UK’s Rarest Molluscs

Conservationists and citizen scientists have come together to help save London’s “charming little” Ice Age hairy snail. Known as the German hairy snail, this fingernail-sized species (Pseudotrichia rubiginosa) is among the UK’s most endangered molluscs, recognised by the fine hairs that cover its shell and believed to reflect its origins on the European continent.

Today, the species survives only in tiny, fragmented pockets of its historic damp riverside habitat along the River Thames. These isolated patches have left the snail extremely vulnerable to habitat degradation, pollution and changes in river management.

Survey Project Aims to Map London Populations

Citizen Zoo and the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) are leading a new survey programme to better understand the species’ distribution and guide conservation efforts. Over recent months, volunteers and researchers have been searching riverbanks across boroughs including Newham, Richmond upon Thames and Barnet, identifying both known and potential sites where the snail may still persist.

The project aims to build a clearer understanding of the snail’s current UK range and assess how habitat restoration, improved pollution control and the careful relocation of snails between suitable sites could support population recovery.

An Ancient Species with Ice-Age Roots

Joe Pecorelli, freshwater conservation programme manager at ZSL, said: “This charming little snail has called our riverbanks and wetlands home for thousands of years – yet it is sadly now very rare in the UK, potentially restricted to just a few sites along the Thames.”

Although first officially recorded in the UK in 1982, fossil remains suggest that the German hairy snail has lived here since at least the Stone Age—and possibly as far back as the last Ice Age, when Britain was still connected to mainland Europe. During that time, the River Thames was linked to the Rhine, Germany’s longest river, which now flows into the North Sea.

Mr Pecorelli said: “These surveys will help us understand how the snail is faring and how we can protect it – not only securing their future for years to come, but also helping safeguard green spaces throughout London for people and wildlife for future generations.”

Unique Adaptations Help Snail Survive Riverside Conditions

The snail’s delicate hairs are thought to help it manage moisture by allowing it to shed excess water. This process makes its slime stickier, enabling the snail to cling securely to wet riverbank debris and vegetation.

Elliot Newton, director of rewilding at Citizen Zoo, said: “The German hairy snail is a species that helps spark imagination and open people’s minds to the curious and diverse wildlife that can thrive across Greater London.

“It reminds us of the remarkable natural world that exists right on our doorstep.

“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 biodiversity and take steps to protect it.”

The initiative is being delivered in partnership with London Wildlife Trust, the Conchological Society of Great Britain and Ireland, Greenspace Information for Greater London CIC and the Port of London Authority. Funding support has been provided by Thames21 and the Conchological Society.

——————————————————————————

At Natural World Fund, we are passionate about restoring habitats in the UK to halt the decline in our wildlife.