(CNN) A Florida county is under quarantine due to the discovery of a fast-growing population of invasive giant African land snails.
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) confirmed there were giant African land snails in the New Port Richey area of Pasco County on June 23, according to FDACS' website
The snails pose a health risk to humans because they carry a parasite called rat lungworm, which can cause meningitis, Christina Chitty, a public information director at FDACS, told CNN.
They can produce up to 2,500 eggs per year, so the population is difficult to control.
According to Chitty, the population in Pasco County likely originated from the illegal pet trade. Giant African land snails are illegal to own as pets in the United States. But some exotic pet owners still keep the invasive pests. If the owners discard them into the wild or accidentally lose them, they can quickly establish a foothold, feeding on over 500 different plant species and even consuming the paint and stucco off houses as a source of calcium.
Swimming_Schedule_49 on July 3rd, 2022 at 11:46 UTC »
Florida police commissioner addresses residents: “we encourage all Citizens to stay vigilant and to carry a salt shaker when leaving the home”
cureandthecause on July 3rd, 2022 at 11:11 UTC »
"The snails pose a health risk to humans because they carry a parasite called rat lungworm, which can cause meningitis, Christina Chitty, a public information director at FDACS, told CNN."
Florida already has an issue with meningitis too, so I can see why they would want to eradicate any sighting of the snail.
Own_Ad6388 on July 3rd, 2022 at 10:42 UTC »
Apparently they grow up to 8 inches