Destructive African Giant Snails reappear in Madikeri

Team Udayavani, Jun 12, 2018, 10:37 AM IST

Madikeri: As a result of happening monsoon, the African Giant Snails have returned in the coffee districts. Recently, the intrusive species have been a curse for the cultivators as they eat the leaves and destroy the coffee plantation. Controlling the infestation  and spread of these mammoth snails has turned become a headache for the cultivators here. 

The giant snails, which are native to East Africa were first located in India in the year 1847. These snails are active amid the night hours and hide during the day under the dry leaves of the undergrowth. They can invade and destroy in excess of 500 types of plants including pepper, coffee, banana, arecanut et cetera. 

In 2015, the attacking snails were found without precedent for Madikeri at Somwarpete taluk. The Coffee Research Board has advised the farmers to utilize “catch and kill” technique as well as utilize pesticides for controlling the spread of these profoundly intrusive species.