NEWS RELEASE
March 5, 2025
PHOENIX – The Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) is excited to announce that a case study completed by our invertebrate program has been accepted into the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services’ Conservation and Adaptation Resources Toolbox (CART). CART is an extensive online resource designed to facilitate collaboration on conservation issues across geographical boundaries.
“The CART case study provides us the opportunity to share our story of Arizona snail conservation online and across the United States,” said Jeff Sorensen, AZGFD invertebrate wildlife program manager. “Wildlife conservation takes a community of partners to be effective.”
Arizona is home to more than 200 species of mollusks, the majority of which are snails. Not only does the presence of these snail species indicate that their ecosystem is functioning properly, but they also serve important roles that help keep the environment healthy.
“For example, springsnails control algae growth and other dead plant matter to help maintain high water quality, which supports other spring species,” said Sorensen. “Talussnails feed on moss, lichens, and leaf litter in their environment, recycling nutrients and enriching the soil of their habitat.”
These native springsnails and talussnails are the subject of the CART study – with particular focus on what AZGFD biologists, volunteers and partners have done to keep the species off of the Endangered Species Act list.
“From on-the-ground work like monitoring snail populations and restoring habitat, to partner agreements and public outreach, this study gives a comprehensive outline of snail conservation efforts,” said Sorensen.
One of the most useful tools discussed is the Candidate Conservation Agreement (CCA). These formal, voluntary commitments with federal land management agencies, as well as private land owners, allow for better management of existing populations of Arizona snails. Partners of a CCA implement agreed-upon conservation actions that minimize or eliminate threats to a species and help maintain and manage the snail’s habitat.
“Voluntary conservation agreements and plans have a proven track record for snail conservation in Arizona,” said Sorensen. “Some of these agreements and plans have 20 plus years of implementation.”
The study also highlights the importance of long-term commitment, allowing AZGFD and its partners to assess and adjust efforts under an adaptive management framework. These agreements allow time to pass and results to be compiled.
“Lack of immediate results does not mean lack of success,” said Sorensen. “A 10- to 25-year timeframe is ideal for conservation agreements and plans to yield results. Conservation of a species takes time, especially for snails that may be rare. ”
One such snail, the Three Forks springsnail, is a perfect example of the long game of conservation. In 2021, AZGFD and its partners completed a translocation of endangered Three Forks springsnails. A year later, none of those snails were detected at the new site. However, in 2023, biologists found 40 of the Three Forks springsnails at the site – marking the first successful wild-to-wild translocation of springsnails in Arizona.
Sorensen hopes that sharing the methods, findings, successes and hurdles that AZGFD has faced in Arizona snail conservation via the CART project will generate more interest, support, and future collaboration with others in snail conservation.
“The strong partnerships we have among natural resource agencies, landowners, non-governmental organizations and academic institutions make one thing clear,” said Sorensen, “collaboration is the key to success.”
VIDEO: Join the AZGFD Snail Crew on a talussnail survey!