A maintenance project in Texas to remove sediment and debris from the San Antonio River also allowed biologists an opportunity to deal with an invasive species, KSAT reported.
Around 2,000 apple snails were removed from sections of the river in January and transferred to less problematic spots in a move that will benefit the local ecosystem.
As KSAT detailed in January, the species is native to South America and can grow to the size of a softball. The creatures were found by biologists in the River Walk in 2019, and their presence has put native fish species at risk.
That's because they have no natural predators in the area and know how to avoid extreme weather conditions such as hard freezes, which means they can survive almost unchecked. They also breed quickly.
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has the apple snail on its invasive species list. Apple snails degrade habitats by burrowing, and they compete with native snails for resources, while their voracious appetites lead to rapid losses of native plant species and emergent aquatic plants.
What's more, apple snails pose a risk to human health as carriers of disease, acting as hosts to the rat lungworm parasite.
"Removing invasive species allows native fish to thrive, fostering a sustainable ecosystem for the benefit of both wildlife and local communities," Chris Vaughn, watershed monitoring supervisor at the San Antonio River Authority, told KSAT.
This goes to show that even creatures as unassuming as snails can have a notable impact on the natural world if populations aren't controlled. Aside from the mollusks, other invasive species such as lionfish and crabs have wreaked havoc with water-based ecosystems, while pythons have been a notable problem in the Florida Everglades.
Plants can be a problem, too, with kudzu, ivy, and even mint proving to be invasive and depriving native plant species. That's why it's so important to make sure you know exactly what you are planting in your garden, as the consequences for local ecosystems can be far-reaching and difficult to remedy.
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