Florida Town Under Quarantine Following Invasion by Giant African Snails That Cause Meningitis

A Florida town is under quarantine after the potentially deadly Giant African Land Snails invaded the area.

New Port Richey residents have been given strict orders not to touch the snails if they see them. Instead, they should immediately contact the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Unlike traditional quarantines, residents are allowed outside but are prohibited from moving plants, soils, yard waste, debris, compost, and building materials beyond a specified area.

The snails were first detected in the area on June 23rd. The following day, the FDACS issued the quarantine. Giant African Land Snails are illegal to own in the United States, but their rapid spread in New Port Richey indicates that people likely obtained them as pets before releasing them into the wild.

The species’ fast reproduction makes it exceedingly difficult to exterminate. Since they can lay up 1,200 eggs in a single year, if an illegal owner releases just one into the wild, the snail population will increase quickly. They are not a natural food source for other species, which gives them an added advantage once released.

The snails reach up to eight inches long and consume at least 500 different types of plants. Aside from causing extensive agricultural damage, these pests can contain a parasite called the rat lungworm, which can lead to meningitis in humans.

The species was first discovered in Florida in 1969. By 1975, they were finally eradicated, with the state spending $1 million on treatment options. The snails were located again in 2011, and it took ten years to get them under control. Officials have now begun treating the soil in the area with a pesticide known to control snails and slugs, with hopes of eliminating the species in just three years this time around.