*Added information regarding publication.

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Tokyo Zoological Park Society, has been working to conserve various endemic species of the Ogasawara Islands, including Red-headed Wood Pigeon and the Ogasawara blue butterfly.

We have recently begun breeding two species of endangered terrestrial mollusks from the Ogasawara Islands at four Tokyo Metropolitan Zoos and Aquariums (Ueno Zoo, Tama Zoo, Inokashira Park Zoo, and Tokyo Sea Life Park), advancing our efforts for ex-situ conservation. Now that one month has passed since the introduction and we have confirmed the stable continuation of breeding, we would like to inform you again about our association's efforts.

Please note that there are no plans to make it public in the near future.

Land Snail	Land Snail

Species undergoing ex-situ conservation and the zoos responsible for them
Species name: Land Snail (Mandarina hirasei)
Zoo in charge: Ueno Zoo
Tama Zoo

Species name: Land Snail (Mandarina mandarina)
Responsible zoo: Inokashira Park Zoo
Tokyo Sea Life Park

Source of individual introduction
Ogasawara World Heritage Center
(Ministry of the Environment, Kanto Regional Environment Office, Ogasawara Nature Conservation Office)

Date of visit
September 19, 2017 (Tuesday) 30 individuals in each zoo

About public access
　For the time being, there are no plans to make them public, as the goal is to acclimate them to their new environment and encourage breeding.
　We will inform you again if we decide to make it public.
　It will be released on Friday, June 4, 2021. Please see this page for details.

background
One of the reasons the Ogasawara Islands were registered as a World Natural Heritage site is the "diversity of terrestrial mollusks." However, due to the invasion of planarians, which prey on terrestrial mollusks, into Chichijima around 1990, as well as vegetation changes caused by invasive plants and predation by invasive rodents, the population of Ogasawara terrestrial mollusks has drastically decreased and is now in danger of extinction. In 2016, the Ministry of the Environment formulated the "Ogasawara Terrestrial Mollusks 14 Species Protection and Propagation Project Plan" and is promoting conservation efforts. In addition, since 2010, some specimens have been collected and reared indoors on Chichijima, and the Ogasawara World Heritage Center is leading efforts to promote ex-situ conservation on the island.
The Ministry of the Environment has requested our cooperation in ex-situ conservation (dispersed breeding), and our association, which has been working on the conservation of Ogasawara's wildlife on a regular basis, will undertake breeding and rearing at its four affiliated facilities to mitigate the risks to captive individuals and to establish new breeding facilities. Currently, the only facilities outside of Ogasawara that breed these species are the Tokyo Metropolitan Zoos and Aquariums.

Animal care status at Tokyo Metropolitan Zoos and Aquariums (as of October 26, 2017)
Land Snail: 60 individuals in total across two zoos
Land Snail: 60 individuals in total across both zoos

Domestic breeding situation (as of May 23, 2017)
Ogasawara World Heritage Center: Land Snail: 1,109 individuals, Land Snail: 1,068 individuals

(October 26, 2017)
(June 3, 2021: Added information about the release)