If you’ve never been to Chittenango Falls—or even if you have—there’s a not well known part that makes it unique. The falls are 167 feet, or 51 meters tall, and home to the Chittenango Ovate Amber Snail. The Chittenango Ovate Amber Snail is a species of snail only located in Chittenango State Park in Chittenango, New York. New York State classifies it as endangered, while the federal government classifies it as threatened. The Chittenango ovate amber snail was first discovered in 1905 at Chittenango Falls. It also seems to have evolved in the Pleistocene epoch, according to the Department of Environmental Conservation, or DEC.
Reproduction
The Chittenango Snail has both male and female reproductive organs. They also lay 4 to 15 eggs, which are laid around a month after mating. These eggs are described as transparent and jelly-like. The eggs hatch about 2-3 weeks after being laid. It also has a life span of around 2 and a half years.
Diet
These snails have a diet of “microscopic algae and other species of microflora that grow on the rocks and vegetation which occur in the spray zone in which they live,” according to the DEC.
Habitat and Conservation
The Chittenango Falls is the only location in the entire world where live specimens of this species are found. They live within the vegetation around the falls, where humidity is high and the climate is moderate. The population has been declining since its discovery—from 500 in 1982, to 25 in 1990. Efforts to conserve this species began in 1992, with hopes of maintaining it.
If you plan to visit the falls, you probably won’t come across the snail, but now you will know it’s there, and can appreciate its home.
