Today we will be presenting the giant african land snail. Although, this large Gastropoda may seem cute and innocent, don't let it fool you. The Giant African land snail is one of the most invasive species in Florida and one of the largest and most damaging snails in the world. Its life span is relatively short, living for about 3-5 years. However, these creatures can cause a lot of destruction within that time. These snails first invaded Florida in the 1960’s, between 1966 and 1975 there was an eradication program that lasted nine years. This program costs the state of Florida 1 million dollars and has caused the eradication of approximately 17,000 snails. Giant African land snails feed on more than 500 species of plants and agricultural crops. They also destroy homes by harvesting calcium from the stucco and plaster to build their shells. They are also known to carry a parasite known as rat lungworm, which can cause a form of meningitis in humans and animals. Florida’s commissioner of agriculture Paul Putnam states "As strange or funny as it sounds, it's a threat to human health, the environment and agriculture.” These species can produce at insanely rapid rates due to it not having any natural predators and females being able to lay up to 12,000 eggs a year. If you happen to come across one of these creatures you can report a giant African land snail call this USDA helpline number 1-888-397-1517.
https://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/terrestrial/invertebrates/giant-african-snail Comments are closed.
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AuthorsHello! We are three students trying to inform the public on the invasive species of South Florida. |