Giant African Snails (Lissachatina fulica), considered to be one of the most damaging land snail pests, have invaded the Kothrud campus of Film & Television Institute of India (FTII), Kothrud Campus in Pune. The snails are visible in large numbers and in clusters on walls, internal roads, floors, the compound, on trees and across plantations on the FTII land in Kothrud, which also includes premises of the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC), National Film Archives of India (NFAI) and Doordarshan Kendra, all run by the Government of India. Recently, the snails became a matter of discussion between some participants at the film appreciation course conducted at NFAI in Kothrud. A security guard said the snails are seen all over the premises during the rainy season. When contacted, FTII, NFIA and NFDC officials said they have no knowledge about the Giant African Snails and whether they cause any damage, but promised to look into the matter. Researchers said that Giant African snails were introduced to India from East Africa in 1847. But now, they have infested different parts of India, causing a headache to several farmers in various states, including Maharashtra. For the last few years, they have also been sighted across Pune city. A video posted on YouTube by “Glimpses of Nature” last year portrayed a Giant African Snail in Pashan Lake as “Khalnayak of Ecosystem”. Another Youtube video posted in 2021 showed a Giant African Snail in Law College Road area. Dr Basudev Tripathy, scientist and office-in-charge of Western Regional Centre of Zoological Survey of India in Pune, said, “Not just in Pune city or Pune district, Giant African Snails have invaded many parts of the country. I saw these snails in Kendriya Vidyalaya premises in Dehu Road five years before. It is a harmful pest that causes extensive damage to agriculture and native plants." "These snails are voracious eaters and fast breeders. They multiply by laying eggs that hatch and spread over a large area in a short period. They can survive in difficult conditions. Usually, we do not see them till October, after which they go into dormancy. But, this year, as the rain spells have extended, their growth may have continued,” said Tripathy. “There is no single solution. It needs a multi-pronged approach from spraying chemicals to eradicating Giant African Snails physically,” he said. Dr Narahari Grampurohit, Head of the Department of Zoology, Savitribai Phule Pune University said, “Giant African Snails eat around 500 species of plants and crops. They are destructive to agriculture and natural ecosystem. To the best of my knowledge, there is no specific systematic study regarding the presence of these snails in Pune city.” Asked if they were harmful to human health, Grampurohit said, “An authentic report published in Switzerland in 2023 says Giant African Snails can carry 36 species of pathogens, including two-thirds that can infect humans.” Dr Mahesh Gaikwad (PhD Entomology) from Bharati Vidyapeeth's College of Horticulture, Kadegaon said, “Giant African snails are polyphagous species. They grow in large numbers during rains and floods. They move in groups. Besides agriculture, they harm urban biodiversity by damaging gardens and landscaping for which the government spends huge amounts of money. They can slowly destroy native ecosystems in forest areas located within the cities.” Gaikwad added that if a group of Giant African snails on streets get crushed, the slippery fluid released from their bodies can cause accidents. Giant African Snails are much bigger in size than common Indian snails. Experts describe the size difference by noting that the giant African snail is "fist-sized" while common native land snails are "thumb-sized".
