Jump to content
Join the Unexplained Mysteries community today! It's free and setting up an account only takes a moment.
- Sign In or Create Account -

Giant Snails Running Amok in Florida


Still Waters

Recommended Posts

Florida plant detectives are on the trail of a slippery foe, an invasive African land snail that is wily, potentially infectious, and can grow as big as a tennis shoe.

In the four years since Giant African Snails were discovered in Miami, they have slowly but surely spread to new territory, alarming residents in the southern suburbs and the neighboring county of Broward.

http://news.discover...rida-150731.htm

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

I'd like to see just one of these giants run I would , never mind amok ... I wonder if the shells will fall off and it ends up streaking ~

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

That's what we need... gangs of hoodlum slugs tearing around the counrtyside, terrorising old ladies and making a mockery of our system of justice... Shameful...

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

From the original link:

Officials have set up a snail-sighting hotline, and regularly dispatch workers armed with gloves and rakes to help clear them away.

The heck with 'amok' that's just 'yuck'...what a nasty job that must be!

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I vote that we catch 'em all and send them to AFrica so the poor childrens could eat them

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ive seen African shops in London with baskets of the things for sale... well I guess if the garden snail is good enough for the French....

:lol:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I wonder if we can eat them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, I suppose the public-released pythons will be happy about a new food source. :passifier:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I wonder if we can eat them.

Yes of course, many Africans eat them

You can eat regular garden snails too, do watch 4 mins

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Have they considered training tortoises to hunt them ?

That would be the slowest chase in history. :P

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

These were a problem in Florida some 30+ years ago and were eradicated, but since then someone has likely smuggled some in as pets and some escaped. They are (or were) present in Hawaii I believe, it's quite possible someone brought one back. Supposedly they will even eat the paint off buildings.

The article called them "the world's biggest gastropod" but they are not even close when you consider marine snails. Even the common conch is larger and the Florida Horse Conch is gigantic for a snail (I found a long dead shell of a Horse Conch in the mud that was over 15" long.)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

All this talk about escargot, has made me hungry for my favorite snail : Abalone. When I lived in California, I use to go diving for abs not far from where the following video was taken (Fort Bragg). It was illegal to take abs with a tank, and depending on the species they had to be a certain size. (I think 7 inches min. for reds with a daily limit of 4- now currently limited to 3) Ab seasons, in which they could be harvested were fairly short too.

My brotherinlaw could take 4 abs on 1 breath. He would stick them inside his wet suit when his hands got full. It would usually take me 2 dives just to get 1 pried up! LOL!

Edited by KariW
Link to comment
Share on other sites

nice meal ...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.