In the 1990s, a predatory flatworm was released in Samoa to control giant African snails

The introduction of the invasive flatworm, Platydemus manokwari, aimed at pest control, has resulted in a dramatic decline of native tree snail populations in the Pacific Islands.

This aggressive predator actively hunts these snails, driving several species towards extinction.

Following previous unsuccessful biological control attempts, federal data now labels these native snails as endangered or threatened, prompting strict biosecurity measures to halt the invasion of this detrimental species.