Giant, Foot-Sized Stucco-Eating Land Snails Invade Florida!

[CalMeacham]

Walk! Walk for your lives!

Giant African land snails – which can grow as large as a shoe – reappeared in the Sunshine State in 2011, when they were spotted in Miami for the first time since the 1960s. Since then, Florida has spent $10.8 million to eradicate the species, removing 158,000 of the giant snails.

Scientists consider the giant African land snail to be “one of the most damaging snails in the world,” according to the Florida Department of Agriculture. The snails eat around 500 types of plants in the region, as well as the stucco on houses.

It’s also possible for the snails to transmit a parasitic infection that can cause a rare form of meningitis, though it’s unlikely. The snails become infected by consuming rat feces that contains the parasite – which is commonly known as the “rat lungworm” – and humans must consume the snail to get the infection. No snails in the U.S. have been known to carry the parasite, according to the Department of Agriculture.

Snails As Big As Shoes Are Kind Of A Problem In Florida | HuffPost Weird News?

The post starts with a clip from The NeverEnding Story, too!

[Skywatcher]

There is a theory as to why they’re there.

Wired.com

The creature was reintroduced here in 2011, and this time, according to Cowie, it may well be “bizarre, voodoo-like religious proceedings” to blame. The snail’s slime, he says, is coveted in certain South American rituals, and practitioners may have released the giant snails into their Miami-area backyards, hoping they’d breed freely.

The USDA and U.S. District Attorney’s Office are investigating this. It probably doesn’t help the ritualists’ case, though, that [in 2013] authorities questioned a Florida man said to have convinced his followers to drink the fluid from live giant African land snails, which he sliced open before squeezing the slime into their mouths. If you can believe it, the victims fell violently ill — ironic, what with this being a healing ritual.

This man allegedly lives in the same neighborhood in which the resurgence was found.

[Miller]

So, when do we start bombing Florida?

[TriPolar]

Python vs. Monitor Lizard vs. Giant Snail

Florida gets all the good stuff.

[DrDeth]

They do look cool, tho. Easy to keep as a pet, I imagine. Odd how they look like a regular garden escargot snail, blown to giant size.

[Richard_Parker]

$68 per snail? Doesn’t seem like a very good deal on pest control.

[grude]

There used to be a traffic conditions sign near me that flashed warning giant African snails in area!

Kinda amusing to imagine them knocking cars off the road.

[DrDeth]

@Richard_Parker

$68 per snail? Doesn’t seem like a very good deal on pest control.

Yeah, just offer free garlic, butter and breadcrumbs to anyone who brings one in.

[Northern_Piper]

I find it odd that there’s a link to send e-comments to the author of the article. Surely for this topic, there should be a postal address so you can send your comments by …

(I couldn’t bring myself to type it. )

[CalMeacham]

At least it’s not as bad as that infestation in the Salton Sea back in the '50’s:

https://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images;_ylt=AwrBTzpfDcFVfJsALrJXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTExN2w1ZXNrBGNvbG8DYmYxBHBvcwMyBHZ0aWQDVUlDMl8xBHNlYwNzYw--?p=The+Monster+That+Challenged+the+World&fr=yfp-t-412#id=14&iurl=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia-cache-ak0.pinimg.com%2F736x%2Fe9%2Fd1%2F00%2Fe9d10017c664c9d60212fc8bcc037c5c.jpg&action=click

https://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images;_ylt=AwrBTzpfDcFVfJsALrJXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTExN2w1ZXNrBGNvbG8DYmYxBHBvcwMyBHZ0aWQDVUlDMl8xBHNlYwNzYw--?p=The+Monster+That+Challenged+the+World&fr=yfp-t-412#id=1&iurl=http%3A%2F%2Fimage.tmdb.org%2Ft%2Fp%2Fw1280%2FaxaiqhO7WVgriU5KtQuCatzokM2.jpg&action=click

https://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images;_ylt=AwrBTzpfDcFVfJsALrJXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTExN2w1ZXNrBGNvbG8DYmYxBHBvcwMyBHZ0aWQDVUlDMl8xBHNlYwNzYw--?p=The+Monster+That+Challenged+the+World&fr=yfp-t-412#id=13&iurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cultofweird.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2013%2F10%2Fmonster-film-girl.jpg&action=click

[gigi]

@Miller

So, when do we start bombing Florida?

And why have we waited this long?

[Simplicio]

@gigi

And why have we waited this long?

We’re working on a project to submerge it, which takes longer but ought to take care of it for good.

[Balance]

@Skywatcher

There is a theory as to why they’re there.

They arrived on an escargot ship, of course.

[Walken_After_Midnight]

They get a bad reputation, but if you’re able to coax one out of its shell you’ll find they’re actually very nice, especially in a footlong.

[stillownedbysetters]

Just look at that s car go!

I’d think SyFy Channel would be all over this. They can do one of their blended monster-disaster movies…Snailnado? Escarphoon?

[Battle_Pope]

@stillownedbysetters

Just look at that s car go!

I’d think SyFy Channel would be all over this. They can do one of their blended monster-disaster movies…Snailnado? Escarphoon?

Toxic spill makes them fast, gives 'em teeth and a thirst for human blood!
The rest writes itself really.

[kopek]

How soon until the Made for SciFy movie comes out? Anyone want to start a betting pool?

[clairobscur]

@kopek

How soon until the Made for SciFy movie comes out? Anyone want to start a betting pool?

Yes, I can imagine the scene : chased by a giant bloodthirsty snail the hero [del]runs[/del] [del]walks[/del] crawls down the street…Hmm…well, no, in fact, I can’t…

[Encinitas]

Spongebob: “Gary! Come here at once!”

[Jackmannii]

Floridians are stocking up on the 100-pound size of Escar-Go!®.