Skip to main content

Singing Snails of Hawaii

This article was published in Scientific American’s former blog network and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of Scientific American


Image of the Week #38, April 17th, 2012:

From:Singing Snails and Killer Whales: Parallels in Conservation by Alexis Rudd at the Guest Blog.


On supporting science journalism

If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.


Source: Photo by David Sischo.

This gorgeous photo of an Hawaiian tree snail peering over a leaf, almost as though into the middle and greater distances of the landscape contains all the color and mood of springtime. The photo, by David Sischo appeared on the Guest Blog post, Singing Snails and Killer Whales: Parallels in Conservation by Alexis Rudd. As Rudd notes, the snails “used to be killed by the thousands for their decorative shells, which people used as jewelry and decoration. Even scientists contributed to this decimation, as naturalists killed thousands for their collections. Personally, this scientist prefers them alive”.