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Plant Health |
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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. 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*:
*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: If you cannot locate your State Department of Agriculture or the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) office, please call our toll-free hotline at 1-888-703-4457. You can find additional
APHIS News and Information at: http://www.aphis.usda.gov//newsroom/hot_issues/ For information
on agricultural permits required to import snails and slugs visit: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ Contacts: |
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