Florida County Under Quarantine After Invasion of “Most Damaging Snail”

Knowledge Nuggets:

• Portions of Broward County in South Florida have been put under quarantine following the sighting of the giant African land snail, a highly destructive mollusk known to cause severe damage to vegetation and property.
• The quarantine restrictions limit the movement of certain items, and will be in place until the area is treated with the pesticide Metaldehyde. Besides property damage, these snails also carry rat lungworm, a parasite causing eosinophilic meningitis in humans and livestock.
• The quarantine comes nearly a year after the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service declared the snail eradicated in Florida in 2021. The snails, believed to have entered Florida via the illegal pet trade, are notoriously difficult to eradicate completely due to their high reproduction rate.

Portions of Broward County, South Florida, find themselves under quarantine following the confirmed sighting of a giant African land snail, labeled “one of the most damaging snails in the world” by scientists.

The quarantine took effect on Tuesday, restricting the movement of several items including snails, plants, soil, and building materials within the three-mile quarantine boundaries, as declared by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS).

FDACS confirmed the presence of this invasive mollusk, which can grow as long as 8 inches, in the Miramar area of Broward County on June 2.

The quarantine will stay in place until officials treat the area with a pesticide called Metaldehyde, disrupting the mucus production ability of snails and slugs, thereby making them prone to dehydration.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, when used as directed, Metaldehyde is unlikely to affect human health.

The primary concern of this giant African land snail is its threat to vegetation, property, and the potential health risks it presents.

It is known to consume over 500 species of economically significant agricultural plants and also feeds on paint and stucco to gather calcium for their shells.

Besides property damage, these snails can carry rat lungworm, a parasite causing eosinophilic meningitis in humans and livestock.

This quarantine comes nearly a year after the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) declared the giant African land snail eradicated in Florida in 2021.

The same declaration was made back in 1975. However, with each snail able to produce up to 2,500 eggs annually, their complete eradication has proven to be notoriously difficult.

Clear Thoughts

The reappearance of these destructive snails marks a disappointing setback.

Last year, a similar quarantine was enacted in Pasco County, north of Tampa, following the sighting of the invasive snail in Port Richey.

In a 2022 interview with CNN, Christina Chitty, a public information director at FDACS, suggested that the snails likely first arrived in Florida through the illegal pet trade.

The current situation renews concerns over the potential ecological and economic harm these creatures can cause.

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