Thousands of rare pond mud snails have been released into wetlands around the Pentland Hills as part of a conservation project run by the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS).
Alongside local MP Scott Arthur, and species steering group members from the RSPB, and the Pentland Hills Regional Park Service, the wildlife conservation charity released over 3,000 snails into ponds and marshes near the Threipmuir Reservoir and Bavelaw Marsh area.
Dr Helen Taylor, deputy head of conservation at RZSS, said: “Once widespread, this vulnerable species is now found at only a few sites in Britain. RZSS has been successfully breeding these snails since 2017 and has learned a lot about the species during that time.