Giant African snails spotted in Saxon
The gastropod, which measures up to 15 centimeters, proliferates rapidly and could threaten agricultural and natural areas.
Giant snails lay up to 1200 eggs a year in the most welcoming nests. (File photo)
KEYSTONE/AP Scott Burton
Several giant African snails have been spotted near a sports course in Saxon, in the canton of Valais. The municipality asks the population to help it stop the spread of the voracious gastropod.
The Saxonans are asked to report to the municipal administration the individuals they have found, can we read on Friday on the municipality’s website. They are not in any danger but it is however recommended to wash your hands after touching the animals.
The giant African snail can measure up to 15 centimeters. Very voracious, this exotic species feeds on all types of plants and proliferates rapidly. It potentially represents a threat to our agricultural and natural spaces, recalls the municipality.
Giant snails also particularly appreciate the stucco of houses from which they draw the calcium they need for their shell. They lay up to 1200 eggs a year in the most welcoming nests. The species, a pet for some, does not support low temperatures, however.
ATS
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