Giant African Snail

Giant African Snail Latest News

Recently, experts warned that the Giant African Snail’s (Lissachatina fulica) presence poses serious risks to Chennai city residents.

About Giant African Snail

• It is the common name for several large African land snail species.  The most damaging of these pests is Lissachatina fulica.
• It is one of the world’s worst invasive species.
• It is known to eat more than 500 types of crops and ornamental plants.
• It is native to East Africa but it has been widely introduced to other parts of the world through the pet trade, as a food resource, and by accidental introduction.
• Habitat: It thrives in warm tropical climates with mild temperatures all year round and high humidity.
• It is found in agricultural areas, coastal areas and wetlands, natural and planted forests, riparian zones, scrublands and shrublands, and the urban zones.
• Food: Mature, adult snails generally feed on decaying organic matter, including garbage, fallen fruit and animal manure

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Adverse Impact of Giant African Snail on Humans

• It is a threat to animals and people because it can transmit parasites such as rat lungworm and other diseases.
• The recent study warned that the snail is a vector for parasitic nematodes such as Angiostrongylus cantonensis and A. costaricensis, which cause eosinophilic meningoencephalitis (brain infection) and abdominal angiostrongyliasis in humans.
• These infections often spread through ingestion of contaminated gastropods or their residues.

Source: TOI