Giant African Land Snail Natural History
Size
Their shell can reach 20cm in length.
Habitat and Distribution
They can be fond in wet sand and the humid tropics of Sub-Saharan Africa.
Age
These snails can live for 5-6 years in captivity.
Diet
These herbivores eat more than 500 different plant species including fruits, vegetables and plant matter.
Threats
This species has not been evaluated by the IUCN yet. However, they are gathered as a food source, and as with many forest species they are experiencing habitat loss.
Groups and Breeding
The Giant African Land Snail is a hermaphrodite (has both male and female reproductive organs) They are prolific breeders and lay up to 500 eggs (they can lay more than 1000 in a year). The babies hatch 11-15 days later and are tiny. The shell grows with them- they do not change it.
Interesting Facts
This snail is listed as one of the top 100 invasive species in the world and as such it is illegal to release them into the wild.
The Giant African Land Snail During Your Day Out in Kent
Our Giant African Snails can be seen in the Bug Gardens alongside a wide variety of other species such as the White-clawed Crayfish, White Knee Tarantula and Medicinal Leech.