Invasive Giant African Land Snails Cause Quarantine in Florida's Broward County

Giant African land snails have been spotted in Broward County, Florida, earlier this week, prompting some neighborhoods to be quarantined. According to reports, local authorities consider the snails to be one of the most dangerous snail species. They pose health risks to humans since they can host a parasite that can cause a rare infection called meningitis.

Broward County Quarantine

The quarantine was announced by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) during a news release on Tuesday. This comes after the giant African snails were spotted in the Miramar area of Broward County earlier in June, as cited by CNN.

Amid the threat, Florida officials created two treatment areas inside the quarantine zone, based on the map provided by FDACS.

Meningitis Infection Risk

Since the gastropods can spread meningitis, the quarantine prohibits any individual from engaging in physical contact with them. Furthermore, handling of the slugs is only allowed with the approval of authorities.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), meningitis is the swelling of the protective membranes around the brain and spinal cord. The CDC emphasizes that such infection is serious and can lead to death as fast as several hours upon contracting it.

Bacteria or any viral pathogenic infection on the fluid around the brain and spinal cord can cause such swelling, the CDC adds.

Giant African Land Snails

Giant African land snails (Lissachatina fulica) are only one of the many invasive snail species that can damage crops and its surrounding environment. With this, more than 500 plant species, including beans, cucumbers, and peanuts, are at risk from the hostile snail species.

In addition, fruits and vegetables, as well as humans in the immediate environment are at risk, according to Australia's Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF).

Some of the evident physical features of L. fulica are their large, long, and narrow pointed shell. They are native to the Americas, Asia, Africa, Caribbean, and Oceania. However, they are spread through transportation of imported goods or packaging, the DAFF says.

Introduction to the U.S.

Giant African land snails were first introduced to the continental U.S. in 1966 and in its island state of Hawaii in 1936. They were first introduced in the country as pets and for educational purposes, according to the National Invasive Species Information.

While related sightings have been reported in the U.S. in previous decades, last year also saw the issuance of another quarantine in Florida. In July 2022, Paso County witnessed the presence of giant African snails, which led to its quarantine, as a story also covered by Nature World News.

With other common names such as giant African snail (GAS) or Kalutara, the said species are considered agricultural and garden pests since it attacks hundreds of different plant species, as mentioned earlier.