From: News Service of Florida
Giant African land snail
Though more than 141,000 Giant African Land Snails have been eliminated in Florida during the past three years, a new infestation of 2,000 of the destructive snails has been found in Miami-Dade County, Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam said Tuesday. He called on Miami-Dade residents to help in the effort to eradicate the snails, which are originally from east Africa and pose threats to parts of the agriculture industry and human health. “This new find of Giant African Land Snails proves that residents play an important role in our eradication efforts,” Putnam said in a prepared statement. “Only with the help of the residents of Miami-Dade can we be successful in eradicating this invasive pest, which threatens the crops, structures and residents of Florida.” The Department of Agriculture said the snails eat at least 500 different types of plants and consume plaster and stucco off buildings. Also, they can carry a parasite that causes a form of meningitis in humans.