Giant African Land Snail

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## About

A giant African land snail

The giant African land snail ***(Lissachatina fulica)*** commonly abbreviated to GALS, is a large gastropod that inhabits the grasslands and subtropics of Sub-Saharan Africa. Giant African land snails resemble the common garden snail ***(Cornu aspersum)***, having iconic olive-brown bodies and maroon brown shells. These snails can also be found in a lighter variety, having cream-coloured bodies. One main feature other than size that differentiates giant African land snails from common snails is their shell patterns, having yellowish white streaks that decorate their shells. Giant African land snails also possess much more severely spiraled shells, ending in a pointed tip known as a fusiform instead of other snail's more rounded shells. Often, giant African land snails are mistaken for their relatives the giant tiger land snails ***(Achatina achatina)*** due to their similar size and appearance however, these species both live on opposite sides of the African continent, with the giant African in the East, and the giant tiger in the West. As their name suggests, giant African land snails are gigantic compared to other mollusks, growing to a huge 30cm (11.8in) in length and weighing 32g (1.1oz).

## Diet

African giant land snails are omnivorous, eating grasses, leaves, decaying wood/bark, leaf litter, fallen fruit and most interestingly carrion of other dead animals. Giant African land snails are often kept as exotic pets and more commonly eat more common household fruits as well as calcium and protein pet powders.

## Conservation Status

The giant African land snail has not yet been assessed by the IUCN, regardless has been widely recognised as least concern but there is a lack of knowledge on the animal's exact population number.

## Range and Population

The population of the giant African land snail is unknown and so is the population trend, due to these factors there is no official IUCN distribution map related to the species. We do know that these snail's range stretches from the southern regions of mozambique to Northern parts of Somalia. Giant African land snails occur in subtropical rainforests that border dry grasslands and thorny brushlands. It is in these less well-covered areas giant African land snails will encounter dangerous predators such as the dwarf mongoose ***(Helogale parvula)*** and eastern yellow-billed hornbill ***(Tockus flavirostris)*** which work mutually to catch the snails. The snails also become prey to invasive rats ***(Rattus rattus)*** and wild boars ***(Sus scrofa)***. Giant African land snails have also been transported both unintentionally and purposefully throughout other regions of Africa and even North America. Because of this involuntary migration, the snails have been listed as invasive species in Canada and the USA, to the point where some US states have outlawed the ownership of giant African land snails as pets. These snails are so invasive that they are rated by the Global Invasive Species Database (GISD) as one of the world's one hundred most invasive species, due to their ability to multiply quickly through breeding. The giant African land snails have become a well known pest in Florida, eating most of the food stock of small farms in Florida overnight according to the Everglades Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area (CISMA).

## Behaviour

Giant African land snails are not social animals and parents do not play any role in the lives of their offspring. Meaning this solitary behaviour is instilled in the life of the snail as soon as they hatch from their eggs. As these snails are solitary, they will reproduce via the usage of hermaphroditism, where a snail has both the sex organs of either sex. Other than their extremely solitary behaviour the snails are not remarkably different in any other way to other snail species. Giant African land snails are nocturnal, laying dormant throughout the day by burying themselves to keep cool in the hot east African weather and will emerge at night to forage for food.

### Relationship with Humans

Giant African land snails interact with humans often whether it be in the form of an undesirable invasive species or a family pet. the snails do not mind being picked up or handled by their owners. Despite their friendliness, giant African land snails can pass on a host of diseases and it is advised that you must thoroughly clean your hands after interacting with the species. These diseases are less drastic and mostly non-existent with captive bred individuals and they are only likely present in their wild counterparts. Giant African land snails are also a frequent invasive species in some countries, and the releasing of them or their eggs into the wild is strictly prohibited, and doing so will often land you an expensive fine.

## In Captivity

As previously mentioned, giant African land snails are kept commonly as exotic pets worldwide, and this has resulted in them becoming invasive. Other than the household ownership of these snails, they can be found at small zoos and wildlife parks such as the Paradise Wildlife Park. Giant African land snails do well in captivity, being easily bred as well as having an increased captive lifespan of 10+ years.

## Sources

* Giant African Land Snail | Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology - https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Achatina\_fulica/
* Giant African Land Snail | CISMA - https://www.evergladescisma.org/the-dirty-dozen/giant-african-land-snail/
* Giant African Land Snail | Pets on Mom - https://animals.mom.com/endangered-snails-3696.html
* Giant African Land Snail | IUCN GISD - http://www.iucngisd.org/gisd/speciesname/Achatina+fulica
* Giant African Land Snail | Paradise Wildlife Park - https://www.pwpark.com/animals/reptiles-and-invertebrates/giant-african-land-snail/