The species lives on one atoll in the Seychelles Islands, Indian Ocean, and is easily recognizable for its purplish-blue banded shell.

[3] Researchers had believed that this species became extinct during the late 1990s, after a series of unusually long, hot, and dry summers caused by climate change.

[7] The habitat of this snail suffered a sudden decline in rainfall in the 1990s, which was essential to the survival of this species, and this dryness appeared to have caused its extinction.

Dr Frauke Fleischer-Dogley, CEO of the CIF, commented:[8][12] The re-discovery of the Aldabra banded snail provides a beacon of hope.

Despite major global environmental threats like climate change, this discovery shows that investments into protecting unique island biodiversity are well-placed.