Giant invasive African snail found in New York: Authorities race to contain threat

A massive African land snail, capable of wreaking havoc on ecosystems and human health, has been discovered in Brooklyn, New York, sparking urgent action from state authorities.

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) announced in June that the mollusc, which can grow up to eight inches long and five inches in diameter, was “surrendered” to the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation.

The African land snail is not just an ecological curiosity—it poses serious risks. Known for its voracious appetite, the snail can consume over 500 types of plants, threatening local agriculture and natural habitats. More alarmingly, it carries a parasite that can cause meningitis, a potentially fatal disease, in humans.

Officials have not yet confirmed whether the snail was kept as a pet or found in the wild. If it has established a presence in New York, the consequences could be severe for both the city and the state. The snail’s discovery adds to the growing list of invasive species in New York, including the northern snakehead fish and the mitten crab, raising concerns among conservationists.

Possession of such invasive species is illegal in New York, and the DEC has emphasized the importance of early detection and rapid response to prevent their spread. The African land snail has a notorious history of invasion in the United States. It first appeared in Hawai’i in 1936 and later in Florida, where authorities spent millions of dollars over several decades trying to eradicate it. The snail can reproduce on its own, laying hundreds of eggs every few months, making containment efforts particularly challenging.

Florida remains the only state to have successfully eradicated the snail, after two costly and prolonged efforts. The state used a combination of visual inspections, detector dogs, and manual removal to eliminate over 168,000 snails across 32 areas. However, parts of Florida are still under quarantine due to recent re-infestations.

While some invasive species have been controlled through public consumption, the African land snail has not been promoted as a food source in the U.S., despite being considered a delicacy in parts of West Africa. In a recent incident, 90 snails were seized and euthanized at a Detroit airport, having been smuggled in from Ghana.

New York’s environmental authorities are now working to ensure that this invasive species does not take hold. Public awareness and cooperation will be crucial in preventing the snail from establishing a foothold in the state.

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