Officials Seize Giant Snails From Schools

[faze]

Date: Apr 26, 2004 - 09:49 PM
By JULIET WILLIAMS, Associated Press Writer

MILWAUKEE - Federal health officials have seized several dangerous pests called Giant African Land Snails from Wisconsin classrooms and have started a national search for the creatures.



Many of the snails, which are illegal to have in the United States, were used in classrooms where school officials didn't know they were dangerous, said Willie Harris, eastern regional director of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (news - web sites)'s Safeguarding, Intervention and Trade Compliance Program.


"Based on some information we got, the schools were a common place that these snails may be found," Harris said Monday.


In the last month, the USDA seized fewer than 10 of the animals from Wisconsin cities including Big Bend, Menasha and Milwaukee. Officials have not found any others in the country but are combing pet shops and animal swap meets for the creatures.


They are concerned the snails, which also can be found in India, China, the Philippines and other countries in the region, could be transported to states with warmer climates, where they can rapidly reproduce and destroy plants. The snails are known to consume as many as 500 different plants and their mucous can transmit meningitis.


The increased surveillance began after about 150 of the Giant African Land Snails were seized in November from pet shops, schools and animal swap meets in Wisconsin.


"Some people have them as pets and may not realize that there are concerns with human health as well as with the pests themselves to agricultural production," said Nolen Lemon, a USDA spokesman.


Five of the snails were taken from Nicolet Elementary School in Menasha after teachers learned they were illegal to have, principal Linda Joosten said Monday.


A parent was given the snails and donated them to the school, where they were kept in classroom aquariums, she said.


"They were very cool creatures. But they were not to be possessed by us," Joosten said. "The bottom line is while there's a risk of health, the biggest risk is to the environment."


In 1966, a Miami boy smuggled three Giant African Land Snails into the country. His grandmother eventually released them into the garden, and in seven years there were more than 18,000 of them. The eradication program took 10 years and cost $1 million, according to the USDA.


The giant snails can hang on to cargo shipped in from other parts of the world but sometimes are smuggled in illegally for use as pets or as an exotic culinary delicacy. A single snail breeding session can produce 100 to 400 eggs.


"There's some groups that actually eat these snails. There's definite human health risks associated with that," Harris said.


Punishments for importing the snails vary depending on the seriousness of the violation, but smugglers can face fines of up to $1,000 per charge.


Harris said people who have the snails without knowing they are illegal will not face punishment if they notify authorities.


"Often people get these exotic pets and when they tire of them they'll release them into the environment. This is a significant exotic pest that can cause a lot of damage in the environment," Harris said.


Joe Donovan, a spokesman for the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, said the agency told school officials of the threat through its e-mail newsletter.





"We were informed by the USDA that there may be a problem with these snails in classrooms," Donovan said. "The DPI will do everything it can to ensure that Wisconsin students are safe."

People who find the snails are asked to call the anti-smuggling hot line at 800-877-3835.

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=stor...giant_snails_2