Florida invaded by giant snails

Image credit: CC 2.0 Rui Almeida

Large numbers of hungry Giant African Land Snails have descended upon Florida in their thousands. The troublesome molluscs can grow to the size of a rabbit and can chomp through not just vegetation but plaster as well, posing a risk to buildings. To make matters worse the snails can also carry dangerous parasites capable of infecting humans. Officials have been doing what they can to stem the menace to prevent the state from being overrun by the slimy invaders. "It becomes a slick mess," said Denise Feiber of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
"[The snails attack] over 500 known species of plants ... pretty much anything that's in their path and green." As many as 1,000 of the snails have been caught and removed every week in some parts of the state. A growing infestation of dangerous giant snails is threatening to damage buildings and spread illness through southern Florida, experts fear. Giant African Land Snails are being caught at a rate of 1,000 a week in the Miami-Dade county area around the city of Miami with numbers said to be increasing.

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