Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji

Panaji, Nov 16: Alarming reports of Giant African Land Snails (GALS) — an invasive species known to wreak havoc on agriculture — have prompted Goa’s agriculture department to launch a state-wide inspection drive. Officials have been directed to collect field-level data on the presence of the pest, following concerns raised by the Goa State Biodiversity Board (GSBB) over its rapid spread.

In recent weeks, social media has been flooded with photos and videos showing clusters of the giant snails in Goa’s coastal talukas, sparking public concern.

“We have requested our zonal agricultural officers (ZAOs) to carry out an exercise of checking their areas for their presence,” agriculture director Sandeep Faldessai told reporters.

Though the snails are infamous for their voracious appetite and rapid destruction of crops, the department has not yet received formal complaints of crop damage.

The species was first reported in Goa in 2015, when a specimen was spotted on the Goa University campus. Ecologists believe the snails may have been accidentally introduced through vehicles or soil transported from infested regions. A decade later, the random sightings across the state point toward established local populations.

Residents in several areas are reporting clusters of the large snails.

“We find lots of them in our compound and nearby at Gogol, Margao. The other day, I picked 30 to 40 with gloves,” said resident Deepa Kerkar. She also recalled a plucker who developed a skin reaction after handling one of the snails.

According to locals, the snails have an unsettling ability to crawl up trees and cling tightly to any surface.

“It takes some effort to pull them as they use vacuum to hold on,” Kerkar added.

Authorities are expected to take further action once the ZAOs submit field reports, as Goa braces for the potential agricultural and ecological impact of one of the world’s most invasive gastropods.