Giant African Land Snail

Achatina fulica

The giant African land snail (Achatina fulica) is a large tropical land snail native to East Africa and now introduced in many regions. It has a long conical shell with brown banding, a strong appetite for plant material, and the ability to reproduce quickly under warm moist conditions. Because it can damage crops and carry parasites, it is treated as a serious invasive pest in some countries, even where it is also known as a food animal or pet elsewhere.

Keeping this snail is legal in some places and prohibited in others, so local rules come first. Captive care requires escape-proof humid housing, safe soil, ventilation, calcium for shell growth, and pesticide-free vegetables, leaves, and supplemental foods. Adults are hermaphrodites and can lay many eggs, making population control part of basic husbandry. Unwanted snails, eggs, or substrate should never be released outdoors. Schools and pet keepers should also use careful handwashing and avoid contact with wild-collected animals from unknown health backgrounds.