After a photo of a woman holding a giant, seemingly bunny-eared snail went viral, social media users had plenty of questions about the massive mollusk. <\/p>\n
TheGiant African Snailcan grow to be eight inches long and feed on roughly 500 different types of plants, as well as plaster and stucco used to build homes. Its considered the most damaging snail in the world. <\/p>\n
To add insult to injury, theyre also known to eat rat feces and contract rat lungworm, which can cause meningitis in humans. <\/p>\n
The creatures are native to East Africa and have also been found in Asia, according to New York Invasive Species. They were originally introduced to Hawaii in 1936 and Florida in 1966, where eradication efforts costing $1 million were launched to get rid of them. They were rediscovered in 2011 and efforts continued into 2015. <\/p>\n
Though officials were able to get rid of hundreds of thousands of the snails, total eradication proved difficult as they have a nine-year lifespan and are hermaphrodites, which mean they dont need a partner to reproduce. And they reproduce often, resulting in as many as 1,200 eggs per year. <\/p>\n
Giant African Land snails are sold and raised as pets in other countries, such as Europe. <\/p>\n
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Giant Snail Looks Like a Rabbit, But Would Destroy Our Ecosystem ... - The Weather Channel<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" After a photo of a woman holding a giant, seemingly bunny-eared snail went viral, social media users had plenty of questions about the massive mollusk. TheGiant African Snailcan grow to be eight inches long and feed on roughly 500 different types of plants, as well as plaster and stucco used to build homes. Its considered the most damaging snail in the world. Continue reading