8 October 2012
Part of an educational display being set up (I just put the key in the photo for scale).
[i]Powelliphanta[/i] is a genus of carnivorous snails endemic to NZ, largely on the South Island. There are a couple of dozen species with multiple subspecies/local forms. They are threatened by introduced predators such as pigs, rats and possums, and also by habitat loss (forest clearance, mining operations, etc).
Very few invertebrates are legally protected in NZ, but all species of the giant land snails are (i.e. [i]Powelliphanta, Paryphanta[/i] and [i]Placostylus[/i], as well as two species of [i]Cytora[/i] and [i]Rhytidarex buddlei[/i]), and this is primarily to prevent collection of their shells. Hence, a special permit is needed to hold empty shells like these ones.
The plan is to also display live [i]Powelliphanta[/i] in the future in a nocturnal display.
