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Story: Possums

Possum-damaged snail shells

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Possum-damaged snail shells

These native land snails (Powelliphanta traversi) were eaten by a possum. It was not until the 1970s that scientists realised that rats and pigs were not responsible for the large numbers of dead snails found in the South Island’s mountain forests and alpine grasslands. Possums bite through the shell near its opening and extract the snail within.

Using this item

Department of Conservation

Reference: 10027845

by Keith Briden

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How to cite this page

Gerard Hutching, Possums – Impact on native animals, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/16901/possum-damaged-snail-shells (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Gerard Hutching, published 1 March 2009, updated 1 July 2015.