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Protection

Florida tree snails are listed by the Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission as a "Species of Special Concern".  This category indicates that they warrant special attention because of their restricted range and their vulnerability to exploitation or environmental changes.

In 1885, even before the Overseas Railroad and the invention of swamp buggies facilitated access into south Florida and the Keys, individuals such as Charles T. Simpson collected his first Liguus.  It became a hobby for many and an obsession for some.

Collecting occurred in Everglades until it became a national park in 1947, and in Big Cypress National Preserve until 1990.  Today, collecting is not permitted on public or private lands in south Florida.

Between 1957 and 1980, a cooperative project between the National Park Service and snail collectors resulted in the introduction of 51 color forms into Everglades National Park and Big Cypress National Preserve. Since then, several of these have been lost from their original hammocks due to land development.