Arkansas Game and Fish Commission discovers invasive snails in live crawfish shipments

Kyler Swaim
·2 min read

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission is warning the public about invasive apple snails found in live crawfish shipments due to their potential damage to aquatic ecosystems and threaten human health.

AGFC said the snails were found in shipments from Louisiana. While they haven’t been found in the wild in Arkansas, they have been found in Louisiana for many years.

(Courtesy: Arkansas Game and Fish Commission)
(Courtesy: Arkansas Game and Fish Commission)

Apple snails are freshwater snails known for being popular in the aquarium trade due to their large size but can become problematic quickly as they outgrow their enclosures.

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“Additional vigilance by Arkansans through inspections of any live crawfish shipments (no matter the source), will help prevent further spread of this invasive species that could affect native wildlife and Arkansas’s rice industry,” AGFC said.

They are not native to the United States and made their way to Florida in the 1980s. Irresponsible aquarium dumping is believed to be the reason why the invasive snails got to the U.S., according to AGFC.

Wild populations have also been established in Arizona, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina and North Carolina.

PANTANAL, BRAZIL – 2022/06/12: Pink Apple snail eggs on aquatic plants in a wetland near the Piuval Lodge in the Northern Pantanal, State of Mato Grosso, Brazil. (Photo by Wolfgang Kaehler/LightRocket via Getty Images)
PANTANAL, BRAZIL – 2022/06/12: Pink Apple snail eggs on aquatic plants in a wetland near the Piuval Lodge in the Northern Pantanal, State of Mato Grosso, Brazil. (Photo by Wolfgang Kaehler/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Apple snails lay bright pink egg masses just above the water on tree stumps and other objects with each cluster holding 1,500 to 2,000 eggs on average.

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“Apple snails are known to carry rat lungworm, a parasite that can infect mammals (including humans) through the consumption of uncooked snail meat or contaminated produce. People with mild infections usually recover fully, but severe infections of the parasite can cause eosinophilic meningitis,” AGFC said.

The eggs contain a neurotoxin that can cause skin and eye irritation if handed.

AGFC said they are working with Louisiana and federal agencies to increase public awareness of the invasive species.

Anyone who spots an apple snail, pink egg mass or a snail larger than a quarter in diameter is asked to report it on the AGFC website or by calling Matt Horton at 501-604-0485.

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