There are stark warnings that an animal that New Zealand is well known for on the global stage is heading towards a catastrophic population decline.
The Department of Conservation (DoC) has warned that 48 species of carnivorous land snails native to New Zealand are now under more threat due to climate change and increased predators.
Without urgent change, New Zealand could face a 95 percent decline in the population of carnivorous land snails within a few decades, warned Dr Kath Walker, a science advisor for DoC and the leader of the report into snails and extinction.
New Zealand has some of the most spectacular land snails in the world and they are "extremely diverse".
There is also a high level of endemism amongst snails in New Zealand, meaning many of the species are only found in single-defined geographic locations.
DoC's latest report on New Zealand's carnivorous land snails evaluated the threat classification of 109 different species.
Of the 109 species assessed, 48 have declined in status while only six have improved.
The report's panel said there was an "urgent need for action... if many of our giant land snails are to survive".
They highlighted exotic browsers and predators, alongside climate change, as the key threats.
"Right now, 43 types of carnivorous land snails are classified as Nationally Critical, the final status before extinction," Walker said.
Wainuia clarki snails hit nationally critical due to a rat invasion on its island habitat on Lake Taupō.
Te Paki kauri snails hit nationally critical because of predation from rats and pigs and severe summer droughts.
Additionally, 28 taxa of Powelliphanta snails have hit nationally critical status.
These are some of the largest and most brightly coloured land snails in the world.
Walker said climate change in particular is one of the biggest threats to Powelliphanta and other snail species because it reduces soil moisture in summer.
"High numbers of feral pigs, goats, deer, possums and hares are exacerbating climate change problem by drying, removing and degrading the leaf litter that nourishes snail habitat and their earthworm prey," she said.
"A warming climate also means rats are invading some Powelliphanta species' mountain-top homes, which previously were predator-free."
However, it's not all bad news.
Two Powelliphanta taxa in western Golden Bay have improved their status from Nationally Endangered to Nationally Vulnerable due to predator control efforts in the area.
Walker said that urgent measures are needed to protect the snails, "such as constructing fences that exclude pigs, deer, goats, hares, hedgehogs, weka, and - where possible - rats from small areas of snail habitat".
