The reappearance of an invasive snail species forced state officials to enact a quarantine order last week for residents of Florida's Pasco County, an area north of Tampa along the gulf coast.
. At four months old, a single snail can lay thousands of eggs at a time and each can grow to be 8 inches long as an adult.
Scientist Mary Yong Cong holds one of the Giant African Snails she keeps in her lab in Miami, Florida on July 17, 2015. / Credit: KERRY SHERIDAN/AFP/Getty Images The snails are mobile — experts warn that they"cling to vehicles and machinery," plus trash, to"move long distances" — and resilient, with the capacity to survive for a year while"inactive" and buried in soil to shield itself from unfavorable weather. They also present serious health risks to humans, as the snails carry a parasite called rat lungworm that can cause meningitis. People are advised to wear protective gear, like gloves, when handling them.
Giant African land snails have wreaked havoc on parts of Florida before. Although they are not native inhabitants of the state, officials have traced infestations dating back to the 1960s to escaped house pets and illegal importations by religious groups, the reported. Owning and importing giant African land snails without a permit is against the law in the U.S. Any attempt to move the snails after a sighting is also illegal without proper documentation.Florida's agriculture department has recorded two instances where the snail was fully eradicated. The most recent was just last year, a decade after one of the giant snails was initially spotted in Miami-Dade County.
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