Meet the German hairy snail (Candida rubrum): A small mollusk with a furry shell that lives along the Thames River in England and elsewhere. Researchers believe its signature hairs help the strange creature live in humid riverside environments, allowing it to shed water. By wicking away excess water, the mucus becomes more viscous, allowing the snail to grab onto smooth riverside debris and the plants it eats.
However, snails need some extra support. The German hairy snail is one of the UK’s most endangered molluscs, with its original habitat along rivers reduced to limited, disconnected areas. So rewilders, conservationists and citizen scientists in London have launched a survey to investigate the situation.
They are trying to better understand the snail’s presence in cities and contribute to future conservation efforts.
Joe Pecorelli, Freshwater Conservation Program Manager at the Zoological Society of London, said in a statement from the Society: “These surveys will help us understand how the snails are doing and how to protect them, not only ensuring their future for years to come but also helping to protect green spaces across London for future generations, benefiting people and wildlife alike.”
According to fossil records, German hairy snails have been present in Britain since at least the Stone Age and possibly even since the last Ice Age. At that time, the European continent was still connected to Britain, and the Thames River was connected to the Rhine River in Germany.
Pecorelli added: “This charming little snail has called our riverbanks and wetlands home for thousands of years, but sadly it is now very rare in the UK and may be restricted to a few sites along the Thames.”
This snail is known to be found throughout Europe. A 2013 assessment listed eastern Russia, the Baltic Sea islands and Germany, where the mollusk is considered endangered, as part of its range.
A better understanding of the distribution of this peculiar snail is important for its survival and can focus efforts on protecting and restoring London’s river habitats. Clearer waterways will only benefit all the other native animals, including European eels, seals and short-beaked seahorses that live in London’s busy waterways.
