On the occasion of the great success of this year’s Snail Night in the village of Kefalas, which once again highlighted the deep-rooted relationship of the local community with the snail, the Mayor of Apokoronas, Charalambos Koukianakis, makes a public appeal to the scientific community and the competent state bodies: The snail – the snail-symbol of Crete – is disappearing and immediate intervention is required.
Extinction of a local treasure
The region of Apokoronas, traditionally known as “the mother of the snail”, has seen the natural presence of the snail decline dramatically in recent years. As residents, cultural organizations, and farmers complain, populations have almost disappeared from olive groves, meadows, and grasslands. Traditional self-collection has been abandoned, while local tables are now filled with imported snails of dubious quality.
Searching for the causes
Although there is no official study yet, the Municipality of Apokoronas and local communities point to a number of possible factors contributing to the disappearance of the snail:
Intensive use of pesticides and insecticides
Climate instability (prolonged droughts, sudden rains)
Damage or destruction of their natural habitats
Introduction of diseases or parasites from non-local populations
Proposals for rescue and regeneration
The Municipality calls for immediate scientific action and specific actions to save the snail:
Conduct specialized field research in Apokoronas
Inclusion of the snail in local fauna protection programs
Pilot breeding or reintroduction programs of natural populations
Cooperation with agricultural and cultural organizations for information actions
Recognition of the snail as an element of Intangible Cultural Heritage
“The soul of the place is being lost.”
In his statement, Mayor Charalambos Koukianakis emphasizes that “this is not just an environmental or nutritional issue. The snail is a symbol of Apokoronas. If it is lost, we lose a small but important part of the identity, memory, and soul of our place.”
The Municipality of Apokoronas calls on all those involved – scientists, competent organizations, and the State – to respond immediately, before one of the most emblematic species of Crete’s natural and cultural wealth disappears forever.
