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Snails the size of mice invade Florida, and experts warn of its danger

Amman Today

publish date 1970-01-01 03:00:00

A Florida county is under quarantine due to the discovery of rapidly increasing numbers of “mouse-sized” African land snails, according to the website. CNN.

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services confirmed (FDACS) The presence of giant African wild snails in the New Port Richey area of ​​Pasco County on June 23.


The report is from a source

Christina Chetty, Director of Public Information at FDACS network CNNThe snails pose a threat to human health because they carry a parasite called the rat lungworm, which can cause meningitis, and can produce up to 2,500 eggs per year, so the population is difficult to control.

snail
snail

According to Chetty, the population in Pasco County likely originated from the illegal pet trade. It is illegal to own giant African land snails as pets in the United States, but some owners of exotic pets still keep the invasive pests, if the owners get rid of them. In the wild or accidentally lost, they can quickly establish a foothold, feed on more than 500 different plant species and even consume paint and plaster of homes as a source of calcium..

Chetty said the department is currently investigating a population census and quantifying the number of snails in Pasco County. The snail is native to East Africa and can be up to 8 inches long..

The quarantine came into effect on June 25 and prevents residents from moving snails or related items, such as plants and soil, in or out of the designated quarantine area.

Residents who believe they have discovered a giant African land snail are advised to call the hotline FDACS Avoid touching the snail without gloves due to the risk of meningitis.

According to Chetty, she’s planning FDACS To spend three years eradicating the population in Pasco County, using the pesticide metaldehyde to treat the soil.

This isn’t the first time Florida has dealt with an infestation of giant snails. In 2011, a cluster of pests was discovered in Miami County. While Miami-Dade County snails had gray flesh, Pasco County snails had white flesh, Chetty said.

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Jordan Miscellaneous news

Source : اخبار الاردن

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