The Unita mountain snail is known from a single location in the Uinta Mountains of northwestern Utah. Thought to be extinct for decades, the snail was rediscovered alive in 2000 in an area less than an acre in size. Land snails like the Uinta mountain snail play a critical role in maintaining forest health, consuming organic material on the forest floor and recycling plant and animal waste. Amphibians, reptiles, birds, and small mammals also feed on land snails, forming an important link in the food chain. The Uinta mountain snail is at great risk of extinction because of domestic livestock grazing and poor fire management practices.  In 2001, the Utah Environmental Congress petitioned for its protection under the Endangered Species Act, but the Fish and Wildlife Service failed to act.  Center for Native Ecosystems and other conservation partners have since continued to press for the formal protection the Uinta mountain snail needs.