Officials have established a quarantine zone in Florida due to an invasion of giant snails, according to a press release from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS).
Broward County authorities on Tuesday announced a quarantine for the rapidly-reproducing giant African land snails after they were first seen in Miramar on June 2, according to 6 South Florida.
Snails and plants within the quarantine zone cannot be moved in or out of its boundaries without first obtaining a compliance agreement from the FDACS. The purpose of the quarantine is to make it easier for the FDACS to eliminate the invasive species. (RELATED: Detroit Metro Airport Staff Discover 6 Giant African Snails In Traveler’s Suitcase)
The giant African land snail is considered one of the most damaging snails in the world, capable of consuming at least 500 different plant species, according to the FDACS’ announcement.
Officials worry the snails will damage Florida’s agriculture and biodiversity due to their potential to destroy the state’s tropical and subtropical environments. The snails also pose a health risk for humans because they may carry the parasite rat lungworm, which can cause meningitis, according to the press release.
The giant African land snail has invaded Florida twice in the past, according to a separate press release from the FDACS. The first invasion occurred in 1969 and was eradicated in 1975. The second ended in 2021 in response to an invasion that began in 2011 in Miami-Dade County.
Giant African land snails eradicated in South Florida in the past had “dark brown shells with grayish-brown flesh,” according to the agency. Those in Paso County have brown shells ranging from dark to light in shade, and “milky white flesh.”
It is illegal to transport or possess the snails in the U.S. without a permit, according to the FDACS.