The pink snail comeback

The pink kaputar snail, a rare endemic species, seemed almost extinct after the devastating bushfires in Australia in 2019/20. Their only known habitat, the extinct volcano Mount Kaputar in eastern Australia, was severely damaged by the flames. But five years after the disaster, nature is showing resilience: New observations show that the unusual snails are slowly returning to their native areas — a surprising sign of the resilience of this unique ecosystem.

Five years after the devastating bushfires, the bright pink kaputar snails are returning to their only habitat on Mount Kaputar. Credit: Adam Fawcett