The endangered Kaala subrutila is named after and only found at Kaʻala, the highest point on Oahu. These tiny snails are primarily ground dwelling. The beautiful golden speckles you see are its body coloration seen through its translucent shell.
A portion of proceeds supports Bishop Museum’s Hawaiian Land Snail Program to enhance biodiversity monitoring, conservation assessments, habitat and diet research, genetic diversity research, conservation education, and more.
Pacific island land snails have suffered more extinctions than any other group of animals in the world. Hawaiʻi once harbored more than 750 land snail species, but more than half have disappeared due to habitat loss and predation by invasive species. Land snails are vital parts of native ecosystems, as they play a crucial role as decomposers and fungivores. Conservationists are working diligently preserve the immense diversity of Hawaiian land snails.
0.75" enamel pin, gold metal with epoxy coating.