By Arty Schronce
Georgia Department of Agriculture

Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture Tommy Irvin urges Georgians to assist in the hunt for giant African land snails, a threat to human health and a serious plant pest.

African land snails are known to carry a parasite, rat lungworm, that can cause serious diseases, such as eosinophilic meningitis, in humans. These diseases can be transferred to humans by eating raw, undercooked infected snail meat or contaminated vegetables. Vegetables can become contaminated if the snails move across them.

Humans can also become infected by handling live giant African land snails and getting the snails' secretions into their eyes, noses or mouths.

Scientists consider giant African land snails to be some of the most damaging snails in the world because they are known to consume at least 500 different types of plants including beans, cucumbers, melons and peanuts.

The Georgia Department of Agriculture warns they could be devastating to Georgia agriculture and natural areas.

Not in Georgia, yet

No African land snails have been reported in Georgia to date, but the state's Commissioner of Agriculture has instructed state inspectors to search for the snails at pet dealers, flea markets and other places exotic pets are sold.

The snails are illegal to import into the United States without a permit and currently no permits have been issued.

The commissioner's declaration follows a pest alert from the United States Department of Agriculture and recent seizures of the snail in schools and pet dealers in Wisconsin and other states.

"We want to determine whether these snails are in our state and if so, eradicate them as quickly as possible," Irvin said. "The confiscations in other states are of concern because some of the snails were found at schools where [teachers and students] were unaware of the potential threat. We want to make sure all Georgians are aware of the dangers associated with this pest."

If found, call for removal

Anyone who has an African land snail in their possession or has seen any of these snails is asked to contact the Georgia Department of Agriculture immediately by calling 1-800-282-5852 or via e-mail at mevans@agr.state.ga.us.

You can also report a finding to the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) at 770-922-9894 or via e-mail at Philip.A.Bailey@aphis.usda.gov.

Officials with the Georgia Department of Agriculture or USDA APHIS will remove the pests from any location and dispose of them properly.

Up to eight inches long

There are several species within the giant African land snail group. Achatina fulica, from East Africa, is one of the largest land snails in the world growing up to eight inches long and 4.5 inches in diameter. When fully grown, the shell consists of seven to nine whorls (spirals), with a long and greatly swollen body whorl. The brownish shell covers at least half the length of the snail.

Each snail can live 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.

In 1966, a boy smuggled three giant African land snails into Miami from Hawaii as pets. His grandmother subsequently released them into her garden. Seven years later, more than 18,000 snails were found. It took almost 10 years and more than $1 million to eradicate this pest from Florida.

For more information about giant African land snails visit the following USDA APHIS Web sites: www.aphis.usda.gov/ppq/ep/gas.html or www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_health/plant_pest_info/gas/index.shtml.