Mitchell's rainforest snail facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mitchell's rainforest snail |
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The Mitchell's rainforest snail (Thersites mitchellae) is a really cool, large land snail. It breathes air, just like us! This amazing creature is a type of mollusc and belongs to the Camaenidae family. You can only find this snail in Australia. Sadly, it is an endangered species, meaning it's at risk of disappearing forever.
What Does It Look Like?
The Mitchell's rainforest snail has a shell that can grow up to 5.5 centimeters wide. That's about the size of a small cookie! Its shell is usually reddish-brown or black. It also has two bright yellow stripes, which make it easy to spot. The parts of the snail you can see, like its body, are black.
Where Does It Live and What Does It Eat?
The Mitchell's rainforest snail loves to live in rainforests. It especially likes palm and fig trees. You can often find it moving along the forest floor. It hides among fallen leaves or under the bark of trees.
This snail is a nocturnal animal. This means it is active mostly at night. It eats things like fallen leaves, fungi, and lichen. These are its main foods. Even though it's active at night, you can spot the Mitchell's rainforest snail all year long. It does not disappear or hibernate during any specific season.
Where Are They Found and Why Are They in Danger?
The Mitchell's rainforest snail used to be common. It lived in rainforests and swampy areas. These were found in the northern coastal lowlands of Australia. It loved palm and fig trees in these rainforests. It was also found in many other wet forest areas. These included coastal wetlands and swamp forests.
Sadly, the Thersites mitchellae is now an endangered species. Many things threaten its survival. Some threats are animals that have been brought into its home. These include rats and birds. Other big dangers are chemicals like herbicides and pesticides. Fires and invasive weeds also cause problems. A huge threat is also deforestation, which means cutting down forests.
This snail is now found in a very small area. It lives in less than 5 square kilometers of rainforest. These small patches are scattered around the Tweed, Byron, and Ballina areas. These are all in northern New South Wales. A good number of these snails can still be found on the Stotts Island Nature Reserve. This reserve is on the Tweed River. Scientists believe there are fewer than 500 adult snails left in the wild.
