Giant snail from East Africa eats 500 types of plants — and can cause meningitis in humans
A search-and-destroy advisory that went out included this bit of history: the last time the giant snails were found in Florida (back in 1966) they had multiplied from three to 18,000 in seven years and cost $1million to eradicate.
How they got there was not immediately known.
The snails were sent to freezers to be frozen to death.
Besides their intimidating size — up to 8 inches long and 4 inches in diameter — "they consume at least 500 different types of plants, can cause structural damage to plaster and stucco, and can carry a parasitic nematode that can lead to meningitis in humans.
They breed like crazy. Each snail living as long as nine years and contains both female and male reproductive organs. After a single mating session, each snail can produce 100 to 400 eggs. In a typical year, every mated adult lays about 1,200 eggs.
The 1966 incident was tied to a boy who brought three into Miami as pets. His grandmother later released them into her garden, starting a plague that took 10 years to eradicate.
In the new outbreak, officials are looking into a possible connection to a criminal investigation, the Miami Herald reported. A man is accused of smuggling in the snails for a religious practice in which followers would drink the snails' juices for a healing ritual. Several people became violently ill.
The man allegedly was helped by a woman said to have hid the snails under her dresses on flights to Miami.
It is illegal to import the snails into the United States. Smugglers can face up to a $1,000 fine per charge.
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