Powelliphanta Augustus snails live for more than 20 years, lay a few bean-size eggs annually, and eat slugs and earthworms.
Compare this to a garden snail, which have thousands of offspring each year, only a short-lifespan and eat plants and leaves. They're hermaphrodites with genital pores on their necks - which means the snail only needs to peek out of its shell slightly to "do the business". DOC has been managing a captive Powelliphanta in chilled containers in Hokitika since 2006.
Lisa Flanagan is a DOC Ranger who has been looking after the captive snails for over 12 years. She was on the scene to film the hatching video and joins Kathryn.
