Elkins, WV -(AmmoLand.com)- A new nature guide book, “Land Snails of West Virginia,” has been published and is now available. It was written by Daniel Dourson and personnel of the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (DNR) Wildlife Diversity Program.
More than 168 native species of land snails live in the Mountain State. Several of these species live only in West Virginia. Three species new to science are described in this publication.
The book is the result of a multi-year snail atlas project coordinated by DNR biologists and the compilation of thousands of museum records. The atlas project produced 459 new county records and documented five new species in the state. Pictures and distribution maps of all species are included in the book.
Land snails are an important part of the state’s ecosystems because they help recycle organic matter and provide food and a source of calcium for a wide variety of animals ranging for salamanders to shrews to turkeys and other birds.
The cost of this full-color, 412-page book is $40, plus a $10 shipping and handling fee if mailed within the continental United States. Copies can also be bought at the DNR office in Elkins. West Virginia residents must include 6 percent sales tax on all purchases.
Orders can be mailed to Land Snail Book, P.O. Box 67, Elkins, WV 26241 or call 304-637-0245.
About West Virginia Division of Natural Resources:
Hunting and fishing in West Virginia is a time-honored tradition in which the majority of families have at least one member who participates on a regular basis. It is our goal to preserve this tradition and all wildlife resources for generations to come.
For more information, visit www.wvdnr.gov.