The last known Achatinella apexfulva died January 1, 2019. He was nick-named ‘George’ and followed by school children worldwide. George was 14 years old. The Achatinella apexfulva was the first of over 750 land snails first described on the Hawaiian Islands. By 1997, the last ten known Achatinella apexfulva were brought to a laboratory for safe keeping and captured breeding. Additional offspring were produced, but all eventually died except George.
Remaining land snails in Hawaii face extinction. The Snail Extinction Prevention (SEP) is doing all they can to save the remaining land snails.