Attack Of The Monster Escargot

MayorBob.

Posted to SciTech on Fri Nov 10, 2006 at 05:53:40 PM EST (promoted by port1080). RSS.

When nature attacks is a theme much loved on TV and in film.  We do love our disasters involving volcanoes, earthquakes, tornadoes, and wild animal attacks.  Especially, wild animal attacks.  But, when it's happening for real, it's not so entertaining.  That's what residents of the island nation of Barbados are finding out now that it's been confirmed they are under attack by giant, ravenous snails.

This culprit is the Giant African Snail and, while they're not attacking and eating any humans on Barbados, Lord help the vegetation.  Since it was first introduced into Barbados about six years ago, the snail has become a hardy specimen.  It is also a hearty eater, which is of concern to the Barbados Agricultural Society (BAS).  The BAS began reporting crop losses of sugarcane, bananas, and papayas and demanded the government do something.  A recent night hunt-and-destroy mission conducted on the island reported finding "millions" of the snails swarming in a large area of the middle of the island.  The mission ended with chemicals sprayed into areas where it's believed the snail nests.

The snails are viewed as agricultural threats to Barbados for now.  As this information shows (5 pg. pdf doc) the snails are not the simplest of pests to get rid of.  Although they could easily be killed by dumping them in sea water (or water of any depth) they are a prodigious little specimen with a few things going for them which might prove difficult to combat.  First, they'll eat just about any vegetation.  Second, they're hermaphroditic - therefore doing in one sex of snail doesn't insure the entire species will die out.  Third, they can go dormant inside their shells for long periods of time.  Finally, they're very prolific, laying as many as 1,200 eggs a year throughout their five year life spans.

Although they're not in and of themselves a danger to man, the sight of them is not likely to enhance the attractiveness of a tourist getaway to Barbados.  They also have a companion they carry with them which is a danger to man - a parasite called the rat lungworm.  Ingestion of the rat lungworm can cause meningitis.  One of the ways you can ingest a rat lungworm is by eating an improperly prepared Giant African Snail.  Therefore, the locals have been warned not to eat the snails.