Hands on Tauranga offers students stimulating and original learning opportunities with real museum objects that support the New Zealand curriculum at primary and secondary school level.
Two large and two smaller Kauri Snail Shells, known as pūpū -rangi to Māori. Shaped in a circular spiral and with brown pattern on the outside and blue on the inside. Latin name - Paryphanta.
Kauri snails belong to the oldest family of land snails on earth, dating back 200 million years.
Kauri snails are part of the group of northern giant land snails. They grow up to 79mm in length and can only be found in Northland. Although found in kauri forest, the kauri snail often avoids the immediate vicinity of kauri trees because the soil there is usually too dry for the worms it feeds on. They can live for more than twenty years and are carnivorous and cannibalistic. Its diet consists of earthworms, insects, insect larvae, and snails. Many are now endangered.
Watch this video from the Department of Conservation all about the kauri snail here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUdP81SjMVE
maximum dimension: 70mm, 30mm
subject area: Social Science, Science
subject themes: New Zealand, Aotearoa, Environment, kauri, native
handling collection number: HC114
More information
>https://www.doc.govt.nz/nature/native-animals/invertebrates/kauri-snail/
>https://puketi.org.nz/kids/pupurangi-kauri-snail/
> https://interactives.stuff.co.nz/2018/10/what-happened-here/ (A fascinating story about a different species of native NZ snail)
Why not get your hands on :
>Kauri gum pieces HC77 https://www.handsontauranga.co.nz/hot-items/science/kauri-gum-hc77/
>Kauri gum HC76 https://www.handsontauranga.co.nz/hot-items/science/kauri-gum-hc76/
Related books
This picture book for young children features two main characters, a kauri snail and a short tailed bat
https://kererubooks.com/product/peka-and-koro-friends-of-the-forest/
