Giant snails found in Abu Dhabi for first time

Giant snails found in Abu Dhabi for first time

  DUBAI – Giant African Land Snails that can grow up to 20cm long have been discovered in the outskirts of Abu Dhabi for the first time. The invasive species was discovered in the Al Wathba area. Experts believe the species’ arrival in the UAE is recent. It is believed they may have arrived here through imported plants. According to the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi there had been only “one record from one very localized area” of the snail in the UAE. The agency said that the snails were being monitored as part of EAD’s “alien species” programme. The Giant African Land Snail is considered one of the world’s most invasive species that may have caused significant ecological effects in at least 52 countries, according to a study by the Biological Journal of the Linnean Society. The snails are able to lay a lot of eggs, making it easy for their population to increase rapidly. The snails eat crops and vegetation and can spread bacteria that can cause roundworm and septicaemia, a type of blood poisoning.

---

For all the latest news from the UAE and the world, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and subscribe to our YouTube 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