Tropical cone snails are know for both their beauty and their biochemistry. Their exquisitely-patterned shells are collected and sold for handsome returns, while some of the toxins they produce have been studied and have proven to be of great value to medicine. Yet despite the benefits these snails offer humans, little effort has been spent on behalf of their protection. Now, the tropical cone snails face mounting threats and their numbers are dwindling, conservationists must act quickly to save the snails and the benefits they offer.

Tropical cone snails live in the shallower waters of reefs or mangrove forests and use their many potent toxins to incapacitate their prey. Although there are over 500 different species, most medical research has focust only on three species. The untapped pharmaceutical potential of the remaining species is immense.

As human activity continues to degrade and destroy reef and coastal habitats, the tropical cone snail populations shrink in number. Scientists are currently urging that the tropical cone snail species be protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). Only an international effort of significant magnitude can effectively ensure the future of these animals.

Find out more: Medicine Loses if Snails Vanish