A remarkable conservation effort has led to the release of 1,329 critically endangered snails on Bugio Island, part of the Desertas Islands near Madeira. Bred in captivity at Chester Zoo, these tiny molluscs were marked for tracking and represent a crucial step in restoring two species thought to be extinct. Conservationists discovered a small surviving population on Deserta Grande island between 2012 and 2017, prompting this rescue operation. With invasive species eradicated on Bugio, the snails are now poised to thrive in their natural habitat once more.