tree snail

Yet in the past 12 years, at least 467 species have gone extinct, with most of these creatures — including a type of rodent called the melomy and a Hawaiian tree snail called Achatinella apexfulva — quietly disappearing and utterly unknown to the vast majority of humans.

They include iiwi and elepaio birds, a tree snail called pupu kani oe and the Hawaiian hoary bat, also known as opeapea.

When the last known Hawaiian tree snail of the species Achatinella apexfulva died on New Year’s Day, wildlife biologist David Sischo was there to mourn it.

The first documented extinction of 2019 occurred on New Year’s Day, with the death of a Hawaiian tree snail named George.

In some ways, this story played out recently with a Hawaiian tree snail species called Achatinella apexfulva.