More than 1,000 of the slow-moving creatures have been wrangled in New Port Richey since June 23, when the first one was discovered. The snails not only eat hundreds of types of plants, they also crawl up the sides of buildings and consume the calcium from the stucco and plaster found there before leaving behind their droppings.
"These snails could be devastating to Florida agriculture and natural areas as they cause extensive damage to tropical and subtropical environments," the Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services (FDACS) warned.
Beyond the damage to plants and buildings, the snails carry with them a dangerous threat to humans, too. Rat lungworm (Angiostrongylus cantonensis) most often infect the lungs of rats and other rodents, but can be transmitted through their digestive system. The lungworm larvae is then found in rat feces, which then infect the snails.
Humans can come into contact with the lungworms either by eating undercooked snails, fruits and vegetables contaminated by the infected snails, or consuming undercooked frogs and crabs that have snacked on a sick snail. While the parasite sometimes dies in a human’s central nervous system, other times it can travel through the brain and cause meningitis: a swelling around the brain and spinal cord which can lead to paralysis, comas, and death.
Thankfully, thus far scientists have yet to detect rat lungworm in the snails that have been wrangled in Pasco County, says Greg Hodges, who is an assistant director of the Florida Department of Agriculture’s Division of Plant Industry.
“Let me assure you, we will eradicate these snails. We have done it twice before, and we will do it again – it is not a question of if, but when. Together, let’s locate, communicate, and eradicate, so Florida can again be GALS free,” said Florida Commissioner Nikki Fried.
The state of Florida has set up a quarantine that runs from the northwest corner of the U.S. 19-Ridge Road intersection, and east to Little Road and south to Trouble Creek Road in New Port Richey, Pasco County. In this quarantine area, residents are restricted from touching or moving found snails, as well as plants, soil, compost, and yard waste. Those who do find any other snails are asked to contact state authorities.
At least 30 state employees are searching for the snails and are being assisted by dogs trained to sniff out the invasive critters. Authorities are also using metaldehyde to kill the snails, a pesticide that affects their mucus production and causes lethal dehydration.
The last time Florida dealt with a snail invasion, those giant African snails were dark gray and brown, but now? Authorities are finding the snails to have whiter, cream-colored bodies and dark shells. These newer snails are heavily sought after in the pet trade industry, but in Florida it is illegal to import or own a giant African snail without a permit. However, Florida state authorities have discovered individuals doing just that.