Giant African Snail
The threat: This snail is not established in New Zealand. If it became established here, it would pose a serious threat to agriculture, the environment, and human health. This voracious herbivore is one of the largest and most damaging snails in the world. This snail can also act as a vector of human disease. It is advisable to wash hands after handling the snail.
Biology
The Giant African snail, Lissachatina fulica (Achatinidae) is a tropical snail, but can survive cold conditions, even snow, by hibernating. It will readily enter a state of hibernation and can survive for months in this state. Giant African snails are distinctive in appearance.
Key identifying characteristics include:
SHELL SIZE: usually 5 to 10 cm but can be up to 30 cm long and can reach 10 cm in diameter.
SHELL COLOUR: most commonly light brown with alternating brown and cream bands on young snails and the upper whorls of larger snails.
SHELL SHAPE: conical, usually twice as long as wide.
EGGS: round to oval, 4.5-5.5 mm in diameter, cream to yellow in colour.
Hosts
The normal food of the Giant African snail consists of decayed vegetation and animal matter, lichens, algae and fungi. However, it is likely that the potential of the snail as a pest may only become apparent when it is established in a new environment such as New Zealand. It has a voracious appetite and has been recorded as attacking over 500 different kinds of plants including many ornamentals, most species of vegetables, legumes, pumpkins and melons – although it prefers brassicas, lettuce, potato, onions, sunflowers and eucalypts.
Distribution
Originally from Eastern Africa it is now spread to Asia, the Americas, Europe, and most of the pacific countries.
Biosecurity Risk to New Zealand
The main biosecurity risk lies in the introduction of the snail in New Zealand as hitchhikers on imported plant material, crates, containers, machinery or motor vehicles. Eggs can get carried in soil with imported goods. Snails in hibernation, that have drawn deep into their shell, can lose 60 percent of their weight and consequently can be mistaken for dead specimens, and carried by travellers as shell-collector specimens. Airport interceptions are also made as travellers bring in the delicacy to satisfy expatriates with a meal from home! Containers and cargo from high-risk giant African snail (GAS) infested countries are inspected on arrival.
Report it
Freephone Biosecurity New Zealand on 0800 80 99 66
Report it online at report.mpi.govt.nz