Endangered Shagreen Snail Found on Ontario Mainland

The Shagreen snail, previously believed to be restricted to two islands in Lake Erie, Canada, has been discovered on the mainland near Woodstock, Ontario. The sighting, confirmed by snail experts using photographs uploaded to the iNaturalist app, marks an exciting development for the endangered species. Scott Gillingwater, a biologist with the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority, initially spotted the snail and uploaded its images to the app, where it was correctly identified as a Shagreen snail. The discovery suggests that the snail’s range may be wider than previously known, sparking hopes for recovery efforts. Gillingwater emphasizes the need for further surveys to gather more information about the mainland population and its habitat, which may provide insights into the species’ decline and aid in conservation efforts.

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