According to Agence France-Presse reported on the 24th, Florida, the United States, recently encountered an African large snail invasion. The Florida government says the snails not only nibble on a variety of plants, endangering local agricultural development, but also that the parasites they carry may infect humans with meningitis.
Florida, USA, was invaded by african snails
The U.S. Department of Agriculture in Florida recently confirmed that African large snails have been found in the Port New Ridge area on the west coast of the state. The local government warned residents not to move soil, plants, compost or anything else that snails could hitchhike and cordoned off the area to stop snails from spreading. According to the report, this snail can grow up to 20 centimeters long, each can lay 2,000 eggs per year, the reproductive rate is very fast, and it is not a small harm to agricultural development.
Jason Stanley, a biologist at the Florida Department of Agriculture, said that the African giant snail is an agricultural pest that feeds on more than 500 different plants, and they are very worried about it.
African large snails can cause meningitis in humans
Agriculture is Florida's second largest industry. Florida is the largest producer of citrus fruits in the United States and an important producer of sugar cane, strawberries, tomatoes and other products. At present, the Florida Department of Agriculture has captured more than 1,000 African large snails through specially trained dogs, and has also tried to eliminate these snails through insecticides.
Other experts say the snails carry a parasite called murine lung worm, which can infect meningitis when humans come into contact.
Florida in the United States has spent tens of millions of dollars to control the African big snail
The Florida authorities believe that the African giant snail was originally introduced to the state by the illegal pet trade. This is reportedly the third eradication of the African giant snail in Florida's history, the first in 1975 and the second in 2011. In the last governance operation, the Florida government spent 10 years and spent a total of $23 million, or about 155 million yuan.
(Original title: "African Snail" invaded the United States, or caused meningitis in humans!) The breeding rate is huge, and it has been regionally blocked! ）
Source: CCTV Finance
Process Edit: TF021