This snail can carry a roundworm that causes eosinophilic meningoencephalitis in humans and is also a threat to crops. The animal was spotted by a gardener at the end of June. Scientists call it “one of the most harmful snails in the world”. This snail is indeed not very difficult to satisfy and feeds without distinction on various crops ranging from those of papaya to those of rubber, passing through those of beans, peas, horticultural plants…
This is not the first time the species has been spotted in Florida. In 1966, it was reported in the center of Miami, in 1973, 18,000 snails were discovered and killed. In 1975, the species was announced as extinct in the region, but it reappeared in 2011. It was once again listed as extinct since September 2021.
The giant African snail can measure up to 25 centimeters (shell included) and weigh up to 700 grams.