Dozens of rare Hawaiian snails were released into the wild after being born and raised at the Honolulu Zoo.

The zoo partnered with the state Department of Land and Natural Resources to save the Amastra cylindrica from going extinct. This type of land snail is only found on Oahu.

Seventy-two of them were released into a protected habitat in the Waianae mountains.

“In 2015, this species was considered extinct in the wild. A few individuals were taken into the custody of DLNR and they started a breeding program. They have a snail extinction prevention program and the goal of that program is to keep alive this Native Hawaiian snail species,” said Becky Choquette, Honolulu Zoo animal keeper.

Choquette says the snails face threats from introduced predators like rats, Jackson’s chameleons and the predatory rosy wolf snail.