With inspectors at Los Angeles International Airport confiscating 67 Giant African Land Snails, Florida Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam issued a warning Tuesday about the destructive creatures possibly coming into the state through ports in Miami and other cities.
Putnam’s department has worked to eradicate the land snails, which can grow to 8 inches in length, since they were first detected three years ago in Miami. The invasive species consumes at least 500 different types of plants, plaster and stucco and also carries a parasite that can cause a form of meningitis, according to a release from Putnam’s office.
“Giant African Land Snails are a triple threat. Not only do they destroy plants and damage buildings, they are (a) risk to public health,” Putnam said in the statement. “We’re working hard to eradicate this invasive pest from South Florida, but it’s just as important to prevent any more from entering our borders. I appreciate the diligence demonstrated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection in safeguarding our nation from threats such as these.”
Putnam’s office cited an Associated Press report about inspectors in Los Angeles seizing 67 snails that arrived earlier this month on a flight from Nigeria. The seized snails were incinerated
source: The News Service of Florida