How many chambered nautiluses are left in the world?

Question

are they endangered?

Answer 1

No one is really sure how many there are, because it's hard to take a proper biological census of the critter.

In 1987, Indonesia banned the collection and export of Nautilus, but many other countries still collect and kill them. Not too long ago, more than 10,000 were taken from the New Caledonia region, mostly for their ornamental shells.

Nautilus have a very slow reproductive rate, taking 5 to 10 years to reach maturity, and only laying about a dozen or so eggs at a time. No one has ever managed to raise Nautilus in captivity from egg to breeding adult.

Although their numbers are low in many regions, the seven or so species of Nautilus are widespread, found in most of the world's oceans.

No one's really sure if they should protected or not.

Answer 2

Nautilus are very common in the Western Pacific area. The shells are exported from the Philippines by the thousands. I'm a specimen seashell importer and dealer, and I have no trouble getting them. I buy them about 50 at a time, for a few dollars apiece.