South Florida Gaining Ground In Battle Against Giant Snails
August 29, 2013 
Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam announced successes in Florida’s battle to eradicate the Giant African Land Snail (GALS). The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) has recently implemented innovative techniques to detect and eliminate the invasive pest. In the two years since the Giant African Land Snail was discovered in Miami-Dade County, the department’s eradication program has found and eliminated more than 128,000 snails.
Program officials continue to refine eradication techniques, including the newest addition of dog detector teams trained specifically to sniff out the snails.
Other methods include application of a more effective bait, adjustments in survey schedules to optimize snail collection efforts, development of experimental trap designs, modification of habitats to eliminate snail hiding places, enhanced inspections of lawn maintenance companies and solid waste facilities, and continued public outreach and education activities.
Though hundreds of snails continue to be collected each week, the numbers have started to drop off significantly from one year ago. According to federal guidelines, eradication can only be declared two years after the last snail is collected.
Recently, several finds prompted new quarantine zones. As of presstime, GALS have not been found outside of Miami-Dade County.
Originally from East Africa, the Giant African Land Snail, Achatina fulica, is one of the largest land snails in the world, growing up to 8 inches in length. Each snail can live as long as nine years. In a typical year, an adult can produce about 1,200 eggs.
Scientists consider GALS to be one of the most damaging pests in the world because they are known to consume at least 500 different types of plants. The snails also can cause structural damage to buildings; they consume plaster and stucco to acquire the calcium needed by the snails to grow their large shells. In large numbers, GALS can cause extensive damage. Public health concerns also surround this and other types of snails and slugs because they can carry a parasite that can cause a form of meningitis in humans and animals.
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