Rat-sized giant snail infestation growing in Florida

Rat-sized African giant snails are running wild in Florida. Yahoo News reported on Sunday, April 14 that the African snail's most destructive invasive species.

South Florida has been battling the growing infestation of the snails that can grow to be the size of rats. The snails have been gnawing their way through stucco and plaster causing massive damage.

In Miami there are over 1,000 of these giant snails caught every week, and 117,000 captured since 2011, when the first giant snail was spotted.

Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services spokeswoman, Denise Feiber reveals that residents will encountering the slimy visitors more often in the next few weeks, most likely stepping on them in their yards as the rat-sized giant snails begin to emerge from underground hibernation as Florida's rainy season gets into full swing in the next several weeks.

The rat-sized giant snails reek havoc attacking over "500 known plant species"as well as causing property destruction to residential homes and businesses.

Snails reproduce at a rapid rate laying about 1,200 eggs a year. One potential danger to humans that the snails pose is that they carry a parasitic rat lung worm, that can cause a form of meningitis.

According to experts, the shells of the snails often grow to a length of 15cm (6ins) with a diameter of 9cm (3.5ins) but some have been known to grow up to 30cm by 15cm (12ins by 6ins).

The snails have also been known to pose a hazard to vehicles by causing blowouts of tires.

Gardeners have also been injured as the animals have been turned into dangerous projectiles by lawnmowers.

Authorities are expanding a series of announcements on buses, billboards and in movie theaters urging the public to be on the lookout, revealing that they believe the breed of snails have been brought into the country unknowingly by over-seas visitors.

What do you think about the rat-sized giant snail invasion in Florida?