The Cumberland Plain land snail makes its home under bark, leaves and log litter, or finds shelter in loose soil around grass clumps. It can dig many centimetres into soil to escape drought.

Found nowhere else in the world, this rare snail survives in small isolated patches in Cumberland Plain woodland across Sydney’s west.

At first glance, the Cumberland Plain land snail resembles the more familiar garden snail, a species introduced from Europe. Shell colour is the easiest way to tell the two apart. Whereas the exotic garden snail’s shell is patterned with dark patches on a pale background, the native Cumberland Plain land snail’s shell is one colour all over – though it can be any shade of brown.

Also, unlike the garden snail, the Cumberland Plain land snail doesn’t eat green plants. It lives off fungus and is generally nocturnal. It lays its eggs beneath logs or other moist places.