Why We Are Searching for Endangered Species on a Deserted Island | Expedition Vlog

We have decided to go back to the Desertas Islands, a small deserted archipelago near Madeira, to try and save two incredibly rare snails from extinction. This project is part of our "Ugly Ones" program which aims to support underfunded species and ecosystems.
🐌 If you would like to support this type of work please consider heading over to: mossy.earth?
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⏱️TIMESTAMPS⏱️
0:00 Intro
01:20 Day 1 Bugio
03:00 Day 2 Planalto sul
08:10 Why we do this
❤️ OUR PARTNERS
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This snail species rescue operation is led by Dinarte Teixeira, the Malacologist at IFCN who sounded the alarm about these species. The captive breeding programme is led by Chester Zoo and Bristol Zoo Gardens. The project is also integrated into a broader conservation strategy of the IUCN’S Mid Atlantic Islands Species Specialist Group.
Pix4D, a drone mapping software company, has kindly offered to sponsor our use of their software for this and other Mossy Earth projects. This is part of their ambition of using their technology to support nature conservation and restoration projects.
📚 ABOUT THIS PROJECT
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Four species of snail thought to be extinct have been found on a small Atlantic island. After more than 100 years without a confirmed observation, the species were rediscovered on Deserta Grande by the local conservationists at IFCN. Their only home and habitat had been devastated by invasive species so their reappearance comes as a very pleasant surprise.
However, initial estimates of their numbers (less than 50) suggest they may be on the verge of extinction.
For this project, we have joined a hopeful rescue operation led by the IFCN that aims to ensure the long term survival of these species.
The plan involves starting a captive breeding programme in collaboration with Chester Zoo and Bristol Zoo to boost snail numbers. But the first step of finding enough individuals of these endangered animals, perched on this rugged and remote island, was no easy feat. This is why we sent Tiago, one of our adventurous conservation biologists, to navigate the perilous rocky terrain and help with the expedition work.
Once there are enough snails in captivity, we’ll be exploring the possibility of reintroducing them onto an adjacent island where the fossil record suggests the species used to be abundant and where the habitat is recovering following the eradication of invasive species.
🔎 Read all about this project here: mossy.earth/projects/rewildin...

[@MossyEarth]

🙌 If you think this kind of work is worth funding be sure to check out the Mossy Earth membership mossy.earth! We have an app and a community discord so it’s fun but above all impactful. - Cheers, Duarte

[@oryxnauwelaers7887]

This really goes to show that Mossy Earth is not excluding species and only going for the big known endangered to get funding. Great job guys, I love your work!

[@MossyEarth]

Thank you Oryx! That means a lot to me and everyone in the team. We are doing our best and its nice to get a bit of recognition. Really, thank you! - cheers, Duarte

[@lordrindfleisch1584]

They truely understand that every species is important

[@jakeb1489]

if you guys managed to get a collab with Terra Mater or channels like yours it would be really good as you guys would get a boost in subs and potentially means more bigger and better projects as you guys do amazing work. i just wanna see the recognition you guys deserve

[@MossyEarth]

We definitely should reach out to them and others :) it's on the list! - Cheers, Duarte

[@julieschleiss-andreassen693]

Amazing job you guys! Who'd have thought that scouting out snails could be such an action packed and dangerous activity?? Hope there'll be a lot of romance between the ones you found. Good luck with the program!

[@MossyEarth]

So far we have found the snails we brought have a thriving romantic life! More on this in upcoming videos :D

[@DuartedeZ]

Well done Dinarte, Gerardo, Isamberto, Tiago and everyone else on the team! 💪

[@huntermock96]

I hope this KZbin channel blows up and passes 3 million subs before 2024. Keep up the absolute amazing work! Protect and preserve!

[@MossyEarth]

Thank you Hunter, that means a lot to us here at the team! - Cheers, Duarte

[@PaulCoxC]

Love this! Amazing footage, and feels like a proper little mini-documentary. So nice to hear from Dinarte, and lovely to hear the impact we're having. Onwards and upwards!

[@MossyEarth]

I could’t agree more! Talking with Dinarte for one hour about this project the other day made me even more passionate about it. It is great to see our ugly ones vision work out in such a concrete way :) More from Dinarte’s interview in the next video. - Cheers, Duarte

[@flamebeardofabovethestone1193]

Just became a member this week, and it already feels like I'm doing something positive, even if it's only donating some of my hard earned cash :) What you guys are doing is really incredible, people forget how complex ecologies are and that if you ignore the non cute niches, the whole system can collapse, excellent job!

[@MossyEarth]

Thank you so much for saying this and for becoming a member! It really means a lot to everyone in the team to read these comments as the work is hard and only recently did we find a bigger audience here on KZbin :) So for a long time we have worked without hearing lovely comments like yours. Really appreciated! - Cheers, Duarte

[@LeaveCurious]

Those snails have amazing views! Great effort everyone, some sketchy routes!!

[@MossyEarth]

They do indeed! :) Thank you Rob! - Cheers, Duarte

[@hannahkirkland5712]

Snails do matter! 🐌 Lovely video and great project. Looking forward to the next video.

[@MossyEarth]

Thank you Hannah!

[@Lone-Lee]

#snaillivesmatter

[@raphlvlogs271]

uniqueness is what makes them so valuable for conservation

[@MossyEarth]

Indeed it is :)

[@Spiracle]

Great job on this expedition everyone! Also brilliant work getting footage on this one Tiago, having too many beautiful shots to pick from is the only nice problem to have when editing

[@MossyEarth]

Its one of those good problems that means more work 😅!

[@timurozkurt5239]

Bravo Tiago and the team, what a colossal effort to save such a tiny species! Like Dinarte says they fully deserve our attention.

[@rodrigocarnier8035]

The aerial view at 5:51, and the given context of how remote the haven of this endangered species is, is mindblowing. Yeah, the storytelling of this channel manages to make our world a tale like the big fantasies.

[@TheBobador]

Production value is through the roof! Congratulations to everyone involved with this project! 💪

[@MossyEarth]

Cheers Bob!

[@douglasr9163]

You guys are doing amazing work. I hope your expedition for Geomitra coronula proved fruitful and I love how you work with species that don't receive the love and, more importantly, the conservation attention they deserve.

[@MossyEarth]

Thank you Douglas, that really means a lot to the whole team here. ❤ - cheers, Duarte

[@TheTdZt]

One of the most amazing things about this project for me is the passion of the team. I am very happy that this gets across in the video! Thank you to all involved and to the encouraging words here in the comments. Tiago

[@rubencardoso7651]

Glad to see you in Portugal. Thank you for your efforts!

[@MossyEarth]

Happy to be working in Portugal 🇵🇹 🙌 - Cheers, Duarte

[@joaquimbarbosa896]

They have a lot of projects on Portugal

[@frogtank4407]

the shells of these snails are quite beautiful. its good you are saving them.

[@thomasnagyberry]

Great job everyone! Really enjoyed this kind of documentary feel to the video!

[@MossyEarth]

Thanks Tom!

[@tinkerbell503]

I love this project! This kind of holistic thinking that takes the advice of local people and scientists first is why I became a mossy earth member and I’m so glad I did. Go little snails!

[@MossyEarth]

Thank you Katie! That means a lot to us here at the team :D Go little snails! - Cheers, Duarte

[@ramona8947]

This is such nice news! I was quite sad after the last video when you did not find enough snails for the breeding program. Luckily this trip was more successful! Thanks for all the hard work Tiago and team 🙌

[@MossyEarth]

It is really exciting for everyone involved :) I know the team read these comments and it motivates them! - Cheers, Duarte

[@leeming1317]

This is the kind of work I always dreamed of being accomplished, Its so cool seeing videos of work we've directly contributed to, even if it's just a view and a like, it helps attract others who may have the monetary freedom to donate,

[@joaquimbarbosa896]

What I love the most here is the fact that you could perfectly be a more fakous Re wilding organisations if you helped more famous species, but you decide to help unwanted species when no one else wants to. Congratulations, to you and to the other People on the ground as well

[@williammcduff6531]

Great job and kudos to the team to put themselves in harms way to make this project a success. A big thank you and bravo all around.

[@julianescobar2395]

Two saved on the first. One on the second! Three out of four! Well done

[@Sawfty]

Incredible expedition! What an amazing effort! ❤️

[@MossyEarth]

Thank you Ryan!

[@diogolucas8224]

Feeling super proud to be part of this team!! 🙌

[@MossyEarth]

Thank you for all the hard work Diogo! 💪

[@joaquimbarbosa896]

The start looks like those chalanges on abandoned islands

[@MossyEarth]

😂 it's an exciting place! It deserves and exciting intro! :D

[@joaquimbarbosa896]

@@MossyEarth Truly

[@Miamcoline]

Absolutely amazing. Thank you and well done.

[@MossyEarth]

Thank you Chris! :) - Cheers, Duarte

[@AwareOCE]

Its incredible what dedicated people can do, this is an impressive project!

[@MossyEarth]

Thank you :) We are quite proud of this project! - Cheers, Duarte

[@AwareOCE]

@@MossyEarth You guys 100% should be! This is inspiring to see and is making me consider a life in preservation and ecology, something I havent seriously done before now

[@Lone-Lee]

2:12 It looks like Mars' and Moon's surface. 🌑🔴 Perfect for a sci-fi movie location!

[@MossyEarth]

it is a surreal place… those reds and yellows are incredible. This is hard work but the team does get to enjoy some special views!

[@DH-xf2qp]

Great job on a very professional looking video, loved everything. Can’t wait for part 2.

[@MossyEarth]

Thank you DH! Glad you enjoyed the video and thank you for letting us know as usual :) - Cheers, Duarte

[@MarijnvdSterre]

Getting enough of those individuals took effort and time, you could say collecting them went in a snail pace... (sorry) Fantastic work, good to hear that the invasive species where able to be removed. Wasn't that a hard thing with the mice? I can see the goats as tricky but doable, but the mice...

[@MossyEarth]

snail speed indeed 😂 I am not sure how that program got rid of the mice but I believe it had to be a very targeted poison or something along those lines. It is touchy complicated work but very important.

[@1Anime4you]

A beautiful snail 🐌. Well done guys

[@geheimnis8187]

Se não fosse por esta série eu não saberia sobre a existência dessas espécies nas ilhas(nunca iria pensar que existia cabras lá). Num dia claro, quando dá para ver as desertas do Funchal, é impensável que umas ilhas que não parecem ser nada mais do que um deserto terem tantas espécies. obrigado 👍

[@MossyEarth]

Muito obrigado :) Ficamos muito felizes de ter Madeirenses a ver os nossos videos! - Um abraco, Duarte

[@joaquimbarbosa896]

E é difícil de acreditar como tínhamos tantas espécies em perigo e ninguém nem queria saber

[@joseguerreiro5943]

Sabia da existência das ilhas desertas mas por algum motivo sempre pensei que fossem simplesmente um monte de rochedos sem nada de interessante por lá. Ficar a saber que na verdade têm várias espécies endémicas e que estão em risco de extinção é um choque para mim.

[@geheimnis8187]

@@joseguerreiro5943 Exato

[@geheimnis8187]

@@joaquimbarbosa896 Pois!!

[@EmaDurao10]

Everything about this video and project is AMAZING! I'm so glad about your work and effort to protect this species (and all the others too 😁)! Thank you ❤

[@matthewdavies5875]

Loved this one. True sense of adventure.

[@MossyEarth]

Cheers Matt! Glad you enjoyed the video!

[@SuperJgiu]

Love what you're doing! That's what I'm studying biology for

[@ricardogonzalez1894]

Very much appreciated!!!!

[@bryanleong1470]

Love the channel and the work that you're doing! Keep it up!

[@MossyEarth]

Thank you Bryan! Really appreciate hearing that :) - Cheers, Duarte

[@dtf.eternal5857]

you guys are great man!

[@jeralwood6290]

It's awesome to see projects to protect less known endnagered species like rhinos.

[@daveandhelenkirkland6898]

Great work!

[@laughinglighting4343]

Awesome video!

[@Lone-Lee]

3:32 I think it's better to fasten the go pro to your t-shirt than carrying it in your hand. You may l0s€ some pretty shots, but won't l0s€ your life!

[@MossyEarth]

Yea Tiago needs some new mounts for the camera haha

[@MindestensDreiZeichen.]

Great video, and It's nice to save any species from extinction, but I prefer when you work with keystone species to maximize the impact.

[@edward7366]

Man what a wonderful video once again. Much love from South Africa

[@MossyEarth]

Thank you Edward! - Cheers, Duarte

[@jeralwood6290]

That looks quite precarious sorting through plants on a cliff face!

[@MossyEarth]

It is! Quite a lot of loose rock and slippery descents. Thankfully no-one in the team got hurt :) - Cheers, Duarte

[@1.4142]

Awesome work

[@crazydragy4233]

Beautiful work!

[@MossyEarth]

Thank you!! :) - Cheers, Duarte

[@Tsuchimursu]

snails are wonderful. I'd climb up there and help if I was at the right place at the right time.

[@MossyEarth]

They are wonderful indeed! - Cheers, Duarte

[@Jules-iq6ks]

Amazing

[@MossyEarth]

Thank you Jules :D - Cheers, Duarte

[@Memessssss]

Amazing😎

[@xavierclaussen5024]

Thanks

[@rodrigocarnier8035]

My favorite scene in this video: - How many you have? - I have 7. Isemberto has 11... - 18! ~~~ PROCEEDS TO LAUGH IN RANGIAN, AND VERY BOASTFULLY AT THAT.

[@miguelguerreiro5280]

Isamberto even has a species of plant in deserta named after him. I see that Manuel 'rato' was there. Met him when I was there in Deserta in 2013.

[@jase123111]

Those snails are not ugly... they have really nice shells.

[@benmcreynolds8581]

That is such a steep area in most spots of that environment. Holly cow!

[@lordrindfleisch1584]

You guys are doing amazing work. Questions tho. Will captivly bread snails have problems when introduced into nature and how will you be monitoring how they are doing after reintroduction?

[@satern8466]

Underrated vid

[@miniMEGA29]

The project is named the ugly ones but those snails are so beautiful, I like those shells they live in.

[@MtnDewWarrior]

that island looks insane

[@nielsbiemond1368]

Awesome work! Is it possible to support one of your projects specifically or are memberships the way to go?

[@MossyEarth]

Hi Niels, for now we only have the membership as often the timings of the projects vary a fair bit and having a steady stream of cash to spend and plan these projects with is crucial. We are hoping to add this in the future but only for members because for us it is the base of it all. This way we can make sure that even less popular projects always get funding if the biologists deem it important. However, it would be great to open it up to additional funding. - hope it makes sense! Cheers, Duarte

[@nielsbiemond1368]

@@MossyEarth it absolutely does, thanks for your quick response.

[@MossyEarth]

No worries :) Thank you for your question!

[@MynameisJoey]

In the thumbnail it looks like the Serpents' pass from Avatar

[@ricardovieiraa]

Bom vídeo

[@dorianmus6771]

What amazed me the most is how expensive a cup of coffee is.

[@regndeer]

unrelated but i hear they're filming a live action avatar the last airbender and i feel like this is an incredible place to film the serpent's pass.

[@Ghost-Mama]

Thank you 🙏🏻 for everything that you do for Mother Earth 🌎!! I appreciate all of your hard work and efforts!! 🦋😁

[@chan_for]

Wholesome 🤧

[@julianescobar2395]

Those were some steep places!!

[@muzwot9603]

Masses should support this over and above the WWF and alike, who are now bedfellows to big oil, logging companies and trophy hunting.

[@joseguerreiro5943]

Are you Portuguese?? The way you pronounce those words is perfect.

[@MossyEarth]

Yes I am :) - Duarte

[@zekethefreak4]

I hope that these creatures can recover, this earth lost 85% of its biodiversity when the mass extinction that wiped most of the dinosaurs out occurred and what was left wasn’t much so we should be doing our best to conserve the last of the planets biodiversity.

[@Wovi10]

looks like the serpent's pass from Avatar The Last Airbender

[@MossyEarth]

Sounds like a beautiful place ;) - Cheers, Duarte

[@PaulCoxC]

Thankfully no attacking serpents to deal with!

[@Creppystories123]

Wow perfect timing I thought you guys gave up on it when I was going to bed last night. great work!

[@MossyEarth]

We are never giving up on these lovely snails 🐌 :D - Cheers, Duarte

[@Creppystories123]

@@MossyEarth That's great

[@carginfer2353]

Have you ever done or will you ever do a project in the canary islands? Thank you for everything you do.

[@MossyEarth]

Really appreciate the kind words! We have never done a project there no, but would love to one day! - Cheers, Duarte

[@joaquimbarbosa896]

Wich species would be good to help there?

[@carginfer2353]

@@joaquimbarbosa896 well, I'm not an expert so I don't know what would be best to choose as a single species, but I know about two ver delicate ecosystems in the south of Gran Canaria that need a lot of help. I'm taking about the dunes of Maspalomas (which are disappearing) and the charca of Maspalomas. There is a lot of tourism in that area and there is only a flimsy rope fence to protect the critical places (I've seen plenty of people just skip over the fences and do whatever they want, throwing rubbish and trampling the area). I think that the basic infrastructure to protect those ecosystems should be improved but I don't know if it's doable.

[@TurboAutist-sg7lo]

this is my favourite charity organisation

[@MossyEarth]

Thank you Leo, that means a lot to us! :) - Cheers, Duarte

[@TurboAutist-sg7lo]

@@MossyEarth the more effort you put into making videos explaining what you do and why you do it. Things like this, this is what will make your organisation grow, people watch the videos that are well made and they see what you do and they go oOOoOO.

[@rafaelcastro8070]

And the last species ??? Do you find any individual of the last snail specie ?? 🥺🥺🥺

[@MossyEarth]

Stay tuned for the next video :) ! What matters is we don’t give up on these snails! - Cheers, Duarte

[@benmcreynolds8581]

Have you had any ideas of any other possible critters that might cohesively blend with that islands ecosystem that could have beneficial aspects to them? Just curious?

[@MossyEarth]

Its an interesting question... to add something to the mix. For now we are just trying to salvage what is there but perhaps it could be an idea in the distant future assuming it all makes sense with the park authorities and the science of course :) - Cheers, Duarte

[@Hansulf]

Any plan on erradicating goats and rats from Deserta Grande? I would help to recoger the whole ecosistem and give more space to other species like birds

[@MossyEarth]

It's a huge project. I think there might be some ideas to do this but it will need very serious funding. For now, we secure the future of the species. - Cheers, Duarte

[@DuaneEseo-ul1bg]

What are the different species of mosses as will as endangered species?

[@Atomy111]

A more accurate title would be we went to a desert island to try and save some snails :D

[@MossyEarth]

Well who doesn't love snails ;) - Cheers, Duarte

[@Lone-Lee]

Caught you circumventing the democratic process again! 😁 Why 10 minutes instead of 15?

[@MossyEarth]

Second episode next week! 2 x 10 minutes better than 1 x 15 surely right Lee 😁? - Cheers, Duarte

[@Lone-Lee]

@@MossyEarth, oh yeah!

[@pilot_bruh576]

Imagine if they planted some moss on big rocks now they are literally mossy esrth

[@Warninn]

Yo this channel is probably the best but I'm poor :D

[@kylemayer4210]

How did goats get on the Islands?

[@hilop33]

Humans brought them there as livestock most likely.

[@seeker296]

Isn't there a danger of worsening the problem by visiting this refuge?

[@amandaoosthuizen9065]

I got scared for you, walking on the narrow or non-existing pathways.

[@eliasniewerth]

Why?

[@-Teca-]

Next to europe💀

[@simphater1787]

Snail po rn

[@joaquimbarbosa896]

Just to know, doesn't this project have a great Carbon footprint? I agree its for a good cause, but it looks like it required a LOT of travels

[@MossyEarth]

It's all relative. Some people use up carbon to travel around the world or go on a weekend trip to another city. But this has a purpose.

[@danieldineen8791]

@@MossyEarth I believe I saw in some vid that ye offset carbon by planting trees related to mossys earth travel

[@joaquimbarbosa896]

@@danieldineen8791 Than to equate it, those trees should not count in mossy Earth, since its just ofsetting their emissions. Maybe I'm being to picky, but climate change is a giant issue, unnecessary travel and emissions should be avoided at all costs. Wich is why I asked it

[@conradguy4690]

Won't they all end up extinct in the wild when the island gets eroded fully by the sea?

[@AlexFoster2291]

Removing the invasive predators/ competitors is huge. Why not leave them to repopulate instead of removing individuals and creating two groups where genetic bottlenecking could harm the species further? This is not a rhetorical question.

[@MossyEarth]

They are only removed from the island that still has invasives. Essentially this is a measure of last resort. The last expedition we did not even find Atlantica calathoides so it is very close to extinction and we have to take this chance now to ensure the survival of the species. I can try to get Tiago to add some more context here later today :) - Cheers, Duarte

[@muhammadashshiddieqi8653]

Bhjj

[@brodyhess5553]

Jesus will make more

[@MossyEarth]

Yea don't know about that... 😅