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Giant African Snail |
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There are several species of exotic snails considered
to be serious pests of plants and threats to public health. Recent information
suggests that one or more of these species in the giant African snail
group are being sold in pet stores or traded by exotic animal dealers.
The origin of these snails is likely through illegal importation. The
purpose of this pest alert is to ask the for public's assistance in
identifying these snails and to convey the importance of reporting the
existence of these snails in the United States. If the snails were to
become established in the general environment, they could cause serious
damage to plants, both in urban settings and in the natural landscape.
They also may carry a parasite that can infect people.
Scientists consider the giant African snail, Achatina fulica,
to be one of the most damaging snails in the world. It is known to eat
at least 500 different types of plants, including breadfruit, cassava,
cocoa, papaya, peanut, rubber, and most varieties of beans, peas, cucumbers,
and melons. Believed to be originally from East Africa, A. fulica has established itself throughout the IndoPacific Basin, including the
Hawaiian islands. This mollusk has also been introduced to the Caribbean
islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe. Recently, A. fulica infestations
were detected on Saint Lucia and Barbados. The island of Saint Martin has been infested since 1995. It is believed that the Dutch side, Sint Maarten, became infested shortly thereafter.
In 1966, a Miami, FL, boy smuggled three giant African snails into south Florida upon returning from a trip to Hawaii. His grandmother eventually released the snails into her garden. Seven years later, more than 18,000 snails had been found along with scores of eggs. The Florida State eradication program took 10 years at a cost of $1 million.
See our Pest Alert (PDF) for more information about A. fulica. More detailed life history information about this and the other giant African snail species is linked below*:
- Achatina fulica (PDF; 135 Kb)
- Achatina achatina (PDF; 137 Kb)
- Archachatina marginata (PDF; 120 Kb)
- Limicolaria aurora (PDF; 59 Kb)
*Source: IICA Report on Giant African Snails Workshop, December 4-5, 2002, ISSN-0253-4746, A2/LC-2002-01
USDA-APHIS New Pest Response Guidelines were published April 23, 2007.
If you see a snail that looks like the giant African snail, please report it to your State Department of Agriculture or the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) office. See the following URL for contacts in your state: http://pest.ceris.purdue.edu/directory.php?list=SPHD
For information on agricultural permits required to import snails and slugs visit: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_health/permits/snails_slugs.shtml
Contacts:
Andrea Simao
Telephone: (301) 734-0930
E-mail: Andrea.B.Simao@aphis.usda.gov
