第3131期:Near-extinct snails rescued from rock

Less than a centimetre in size, these tiny snails had been pushed to thebrinkof extinction.

这些体长不足一厘米的小型蜗牛一度濒临灭绝。

Their home on the Madeira Archipelago had been grazed bare by invasive goats and rabbits, while mice saw the molluscs as a water source.

它们在马德拉群岛上的栖息地被入侵的山羊和兔子啃食殆尽，而老鼠则将这些软体动物当作水分的来源。

But after conservation work, including a breeding programme at Chester Zoo, hundreds of the snails have now been returned to the wild. The team said they had one shot to save the species.

不过，在实施了一系列动物保护措施后，包括切斯特动物园的一个繁育项目，数百只蜗牛如今已经被重新放归野外。研究团队表示，他们只有这一次机会来拯救这一物种。

The mission involved transporting them in the dark to snail-friendly crevices in the rocks. It's hoped they come out of their shell to restore soil and boost the natural habitat.

此次行动包括在夜间将这些蜗牛转移到适宜生存的岩石缝中。人们希望它们能从壳中爬出、重新活跃起来，从而帮助恢复土壤环境，促进当地生态栖息地的恢复。