Florida's state shell at higher risk of extinction than previously thought
Published Date: 4/6/2022
Source: phys.org
The Florida horse conch population—one of the world's largest invertebrate animals—is shrinking. Established in 1969 as the Florida state shell with a record length of two feet, it has become symbolic of Florida's natural resources and widely used in advertising for the state's tourism industry. But unregulated commercial harvesting and recreational live collection are pushing populations closer to collapse.