The Achatinella apexfulva aka the O'ahu tree snail was very common when Captain George Dixon first described them in 1787 as part of the shell lei he was given when he arrived on Oahu. Native Hawaiians would collect many snails and use them for the shell leis they would wear. The native Hawaiian shell collections had a small, but noticeable impact on the 43 native tree snails on the island of O'ahu. When Europeans arrived, they brought with them many invasive species that decimated native Hawaiian species, such as the Kaua'i 'akialoa which is an extinct honeycreeper also described on this website. When Europeans began clearing forests, the snails' habitat became fragmented. Since snails are known for their slowness, habitat fragmentation makes finding other snails more difficult. The introduction of pigs also led to habitat fragmentation. Invasive rats also affected the Achatinella apexfulva population, but the most destructive invader was introduced to Hawaii in the 1950's, the rosy wolfsnail. The rosy wolfsnail was brought in to control the invasive giant African snails which were eating crops. The rosy wolfsnail was an indiscriminate killer, targeting the giant African snail as well as the 43 native snail species. The compilation of these factors, mainly the rosy wolfsnail, led to the extinction of 22 snail species on Oahu. In 1997 scientists gathered up all of the remaining Oahu tree snails they could find and began a breeding program at the University of Hawaii. The last wild Oahu tree snail was observed in 2005. There were a few offspring that were born at the University of Hawaii, but by April of 2011, there was only one Achatinella apexfulva remaining in the world. It was named George, after Lonesome George, the world famous, 'functionally extinct' Pinta Island tortoise who died on June 24, 2012. Scientists had scoured the world to find Lonesome George, a female mate. Since snails are hermaphroditic, meaning they are all both male & female, any other A. apexfulva would have offered hope for breeding. In 2017, scientists took a 2 millimeter sample from George's foot and sent it to San Diego's Frozen Zoo. George was the last of his species for George made news as the first species to go extinct in 2019 when he died on New Years Day at the age of 14. This marked the end of the Oahu tree snail. Although Jurassic Park is fiction, scientists are working on several de-extinction projects. In fact, in 2003 scientists did bring back the extinct Pyrenean ibex, a type of wild goat, for 7 minutes before it died, showing de-extinction is possible. Achatinella apexfulva might be a candidate. Scientists would potentially use DNA from the frozen sample taken from George in 2017. Many efforts have been made in Hawaii to restore the environment and help native species. There have been efforts to eradicate rats and invasive species from the environment. Scientists have also been working to control the rosy wolfsnail and set up captive breeding programs to help the other 18 critically endangered tree snail species in Oahu, many of which only remain in captive breeding facilities. If the Achatinella apexfulva was brought back from extinction, could it survive in its native homeland of Hawaii or would it be destined to join its relatives in the captive breeding facilities at the University of Hawaii?