A giant snail is proliferating in Florida, and officials are frustrated.
What's happening?
Plantation is just one of many cities in Broward County experiencing the invasion, WPLG Local 10 reported.
The island apple snail, native to South America, has been in the state since 1989, leaving masses of eggs and outcompeting native species for algae and vegetation.
"It's a statewide problem, and we've talked to the state," Plantation Mayor Nick Sortal told Local 10. "The state says, 'It's an invasive species — you can only do so much.' But we care greatly, so that's why we're frustrated."
The snails eat rice crops and alter habitats and ecosystems, resulting in "substantial economic damage" and impacting the native Florida apple snail, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
The invasive snails, which can grow to 6 inches, have reached just about every part of the state. They lay 2,000 eggs at a time and become sexually mature months after birth.
Why is this important?
"The creatures don't appear to be a major problem at the moment," Local 10 reported, but invasive species cost the United States $20 billion annually. These snails may even carry a parasite that can cause eosinophilic meningitis in humans, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
A female snail can also lay up to 54,000 eggs in its three-year life span.
Invasive species are responsible for putting 42% of threatened or endangered species at risk, according to the National Wildlife Federation. Since they have no natural predators, they can quickly take over, which leads to increasing interactions with other animals and humans.
This threatens our food web, environment, and biodiversity, all of which are essential to a sustainable future.
What's being done about the island apple snail?
Experts suggest smashing the eggs or scraping the masses off wherever they've been laid, Local 10 reported. The eggs are bright pink but turn white or gray before hatching. When handling them or a snail, you should wear gloves.
This is not the first time the state has had a problem with an invasive giant snail. The African land snail has twice been eradicated from Florida, though it cost $26 million and 19 years to do so.
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