CARTWRIGHT

Historically, the Hawaiian Islands are known to have abundant amounts of endemic species, which are only found in this island chain. Hawaiʻi is one of the most isolated places on Earth. The land accommodates a variety of birds, bees, plants, fish, and even snails. One of these species are tree snails or kāhuli. They are also known poetically as pūpū kanioe, which translates to “shell that sounds long” or the “singing shell.”  

 

Tree snails are an essential part of Hawaiʻi’s ecology. Many of Hawaiʻi’s endemic species are starting to appear on the endangered species list, and the pūpū kanioe particularly are among the species highest at risk. While they graze on the fungi off the surface of ʻōhiʻa lehua leaves, and the lush forests of Hawaiʻi provide homes for the kāhuli. This relationship is symbiotic, meaning the trees provide for the snails, and the snails provide for the trees. Kāhuli tree snails are endemic to Hawaii and are found only on the island of O‘ahu. Native trees and shrubs are the best habitat for kāhuli tree snails. All of the 42 kāhuli species in the genus Achatinella are either federally listed as endangered or extinct.

 

Hawaiians have been aware of this important relationship, and they wrote many songs about these snails, especially how these snails would sing. The singing is only a myth, but kāhuli tree snails have been the inspiration for traditional Hawaiian chants. One chant called “Kāhuli Aku” is about the snails calling to kolea (golden plovers) to bring them water from the morning dew collevting on the ʻākōlea fern. Kāhuli Aku has been set to music and is a popular children’s song. The moral of this famous story is in times of need we come together to help each other out.