Dylan Bettencourt
The giant African Land Snail with the ability to rapidly spread diseases has made its way to Florida in the United States.
The hungry snail consumes around 500 different species of plants as well as feeding on stucco, a construction material often used in Florida.
As the snails hunt for their source of calcium in American homes, they pose a health risk too as they carry different forms of lungworms, a parasite that causes meningitis.
“If you see one of these snails, do not touch it,” Nikki Fried, the Florida state agriculture commissioner, said, as per The Times.
“Most importantly, do not eat them. This is not a snail to be put on butter and oil and garlic.”
The African Land Snail can grow up to 20cm long and reproduces at a rapid rate, laying around 2,500 eggs each year.
The snail was first detected in the state last month and since then, experts have captured over 1,400 snails in 30 different homes, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services said.
The animals are not permitted to be imported into the country without the necessary permits.
Florida state has begun training dogs to sniff out the snails. A quarantine order has also been issued to prevent the snails from being moved out of the area.
This is not the first time the African snail has been found looking for homes in America. The agriculture department said it detected the animal in 1969 and again in 2011.
Image source: @TheCoversation
