The sunshine state has seen an invasion even peskier than those college spring breakers.
Giant African land snails have increasingly taken over South Florida with 117,000 being caught since September 2011, when they were first spotted.
The snails, which can chew through plaster, can grow as big as rats according to experts.
Denise Feiber, a spokeswoman from the
Florida Department of Agriculture and COnsumer Services warned the
state's residents about the dangers their potential danger.
They can attack 'over 500 known species of plants.'
And because they need to ingest calcium for their growing their shells, the snails harbor an infinity for stucco.
In the island of Barbados where the snails are more prevalent it's not uncommon to see them cause blown-out tires.
Giant African land snails do carry a parasitic rat lungworm that can potentially lead to illness in human (mostly with meningitis) but no cases have been discovered yet in the United States.
A group of experts met in Gainesville, Florida last week for the 'Giant African Land Snail Science Symposium,' to find solutions for ridding the state of mollusks.
Feiber told the media that investigators were searching for where the infestation first occurred.
The investigators have
discussed the possibility that the snails originated from a Santeria
group in Miami. In 2010 the group was found to be using snails in some
religious rituals.
It's not uncommon for exotic animals of any type to find their way into the country via the myriad of airports.
"If you got a ham sandwich in Jamaica or the Dominican Republic, or an orange, and you didn't eat it all and you bring it back into the States and then you discard it, at some point, things can emerge from those products," Feiber said.
Officials in Florida are mounting an
aggressive campaign to warn residents about the snails with information
on billboards, buses and even PSA's before movies.
The last time the snails invaded the state was in 1966.
A boy brought back several of the creatures after a vacation in Hawaii. Over 17,000 were in the state seven years later and it took a full decade to get rid of them.
Giant African land snails have increasingly taken over South Florida with 117,000 being caught since September 2011, when they were first spotted.
The snails, which can chew through plaster, can grow as big as rats according to experts.
The giant African land snail can grow as large
as a rat and can chew through stucco, which contains the calcium it
needs for shell growth
The state of Florida is cautioning young
residents to stay away from the snails and to not be fooled by the
'cute' exterior and mistake them for pets
They can attack 'over 500 known species of plants.'
And because they need to ingest calcium for their growing their shells, the snails harbor an infinity for stucco.
In the island of Barbados where the snails are more prevalent it's not uncommon to see them cause blown-out tires.
Giant African land snails do carry a parasitic rat lungworm that can potentially lead to illness in human (mostly with meningitis) but no cases have been discovered yet in the United States.
A group of experts met in Gainesville, Florida last week for the 'Giant African Land Snail Science Symposium,' to find solutions for ridding the state of mollusks.
Feiber told the media that investigators were searching for where the infestation first occurred.
There are now announcements about the snails that show up on buses and billboards and before movies in south Florida
It's not uncommon for exotic animals of any type to find their way into the country via the myriad of airports.
"If you got a ham sandwich in Jamaica or the Dominican Republic, or an orange, and you didn't eat it all and you bring it back into the States and then you discard it, at some point, things can emerge from those products," Feiber said.
A symposium was held in the state last week to
determine where the infestation first occurred and to come up with a
plan to better combat the mollusks
A boy brought back several of the creatures after a vacation in Hawaii. Over 17,000 were in the state seven years later and it took a full decade to get rid of them.