Why is the African Giant Snail spreading in India?

When I visited Ramnagar in the Jim Corbett Park recently, I was surprised to spot giant snails. When I did some research, I learned that giant snails might be a silent invader reshaping India's Ecosystems and backyards. This mollusc is now thriving because of its resilience. Unfortunately, these non-endemic species have invaded our spaces, edging out our native species into nonexistence. In one of my previous posts, I described how non-endemic species of catfish consumed all the native species of fish in what was once an important wetland in Gurgaon known as the Basai wetland. 

The reason why these non native species have spread so rapidly in India is because of their resilience and reproductive power. This calls for the Government to implement measures to control the entry of non-native species into India. Invasive species of plants, trees, fish, and molluscs should be strictly monitored. Climate change has had an important role to play in the survival and existence of non-native species that are overwhelming our own native species of molluscs, fish, and other organisms. The persistent expansion of the African Giant Snail is causing an ecological imbalance that is a matter of great concern!

India’s horticulture and vegetable sectors face mounting economic costs from destroyed seedlings to losses in nursery production. Precise figures are hard to come by, but the scale is growing. Importantly, L. fulica is listed as a quarantine pest in India and several other countries, with restrictions on movement and advisories from agricultural authorities.

The African Giant Snail is a pest, and it is causing immense problems. The existence of the African Giant Snail is causing great damage not only to native species of endemic snails, but also to important insects that help in pollination of important crops.

We are facing a crisis because of the invasion of African Giant Snails, and we need to do something about this! This snail can harbour nematodes like Angiostrongylus cantonensis (rat lungworm), linked to meningitis, and A. costaricensis, causing abdominal infection. Risks rise after heavy floods or in damp gardens, especially if raw greens are eaten unwashed or if children handle snails.