Its populations declined dramatically due to predation by the rosy wolfsnail, which was introduced to Hawaii in the 1950s to control agricultural pests.
[2] While George was alive, it became a tradition for snail researchers to stop at the spot where the last A. apexfulva were found and scan the trees with binoculars, in the hope of finding him a mate.
[7] At the time of his death, George was kept in a trailer on the outskirts of Kailua, Oahu, cared for by researcher David Sischo, director of the state's snail extinction prevention program, and colleagues.
[1][3] In August 2018, George was among 2000 snails temporarily transferred from Kawainui Marsh to the main Department of Land and Natural Resources offices in downtown Honolulu, to protect against damage from Hurricane Lane.
[1] In 2017, researchers collected a two-millimetre sample of George's foot, which is now kept in storage at San Diego's Frozen Zoo, to be available for possible future cloning attempts.