The giant African land snail (Lissachatina fulica) is an amazing and absurd creature or mollusk that roams in the backyard of some people. It is massive and can literally scare you if you are not aware of it. I walked on the lawn in the backyard and stumbled upon the snail almost as big as my foot. For a moment I did not know what to do so I ran into the house and got my camera.
I remember from my youth in the bushveld with friends, we picked up massive shells of snails, bleached white from the intense sun and heat. I still have some on my bookshelf. But these monsters always remained fossils of long-gone animals in my mind. Until today...
Vaguely, I remember some people keeping giant African snails as pets. But in reading up on these massive mollusks, I stumbled upon this thread again. People actually have snails as pets.
If I held it in my hand, it would have covered my whole hand. It is really heavy. I do not think this is the biggest they get. In fact, I think this one is still growing.
Imagine a snail as big as your hand. Imagine walking past this monster when a little intoxicated on your drink. It looks like something from a movie set in an alien world. In fact, it looks like an alien! But this just points out the fact of how amazing nature is.
When animals in the wild have enough food, they obviously grow bigger. But when animals in your backyard get so big, it is just amazing. I never knew that these big snails lived in people's backyards.
The shell looks like it has undergone some battle scars, one might only wonder what other animals might have tried to eat it. In fact, when you turn it around, the flesh looks surprisingly akin to red meat....
There is an article out there about someone eating one of them. Apparently, after some prep work, you can eat them. Strange textures and new tastes, they are apparently nice to eat. But I remain a bit skeptical.
According to Wikipedia, they are apparently one of the most invasive species in the world. There is not that much out there about their presence in the area where I live, but they apparently eat the smaller snails and slugs that are native. These are not native to Southern Africa but rather to Eastern Africa.
After the rain this morning, two smaller ones, babies I presume, climbed up the wall. If you are used to snails being as big as a coin or your thumb, these massive ones as big as your hand is a rather stark contrast. And every time you get a small fright: Is this for real?
It is sometimes funny reading Wikipedia pages about things you want to learn about. Wikipedia is obviously just a gateway into more serious research but the articles help you grasp something complex really quickly. But sometimes, like in the case of this mollusk, you get more information about its invasive status and prohibition and the dangers it poses to humans and crops.
But I think this is something amazing, even though it might be an invasive species. The size it gets is just amazing in my eyes. It now fills the gap I had as a young boy picking up the almost fossil-looking shells in the bushveld.
Alas, we can only wonder and ponder nature's amazing. Have you ever come across this giant species of a mollusk? All of the photographs are my own, taken with my Nikon D300. All of the musings are my own, unless linked or stated otherwise. Stay safe, and enjoy mother nature and all her beauty!
I've never seen one in my neck of the woods, New York State, USA. Pretty cool creature though.
They are indeed! But I think they can make some damage to a crop if left uncontrolled. And apparently, they carry many diseases.
I have, they are really impressive, and as I understand pretty dangerous to since can give you some desease and be even a risk for live.
I saw that, yes! Scary stuff. But they are still pretty cool though! Thanks for the visit, stay well.
Yes, I agree on both things. A pleasure tu visit your post. Stay well you too
Love them… snails, especially the giant African ones. I know some keep them even as pets.
I did paint snails a few times… as paintings 🖼 🤓
Thank you for sharing your great captures @fermentedphil 😊👋🏻
Have a great evening!
It is so interesting that they can be pets! And they occupy the backyard. Imagine they grew as big as small dogs, how surreal would that have been? Oh, I am sure those paintings are awesome! Stay well. Have an awesome evening!
They sure are… if you Google them and see how large they get and crawl over someone’s hand… just wonderful. Yes, as big as a dog… hehehe 🤭 that would be surreal 😎
I posted one of them 6 months ago… and the steps how I created the painting: “Here we go!” Painting snails…
This is the art I used to create 😉
Thank you so much, you too and enjoy your evening 👋🏻
Oh wow your art is seriously stunning. It is beyond words how awesome that is! And that you made it with airbrush! That is really inspiring. I seriously need to be creative! I think you inspired me to such a point that I am going to do something this weekend! Thank you so much! Watercolour and pencil here I come. If all goes to plan there might be a post about it.
Thank you so much @fermentedphil 😊 you just made my day. And to hear I did inspire you so much to even start something this weekend is 🤩🤩🤩 yay, yes go for it.
And when you post, do tag me 😉😊 would like to see it. You got a fan here… 👋🏻😎
You are so welcome… yes… watercolour and pencils here he comes… 🤓🎨
!PIZZA
Thank you so much! I will do this for sure! Let us just hope that the inspiration "lands well" and that the project is success and not failure.
You are welcome, crossing my fingers for you… 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻
Let it be great and do have fun… 😉🤓
wuoow nice post thanks for sharing
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Oh wow, thank you so much for this! I really appreciate it.
Snails On Trails being on the East Coast after wet spells these massive guys appear quite often... Link to my post from 2 years ago !LOLZ
Sharing the cruising my garden a short clip... Thanks for additional links to learn more.
Oh, thank you so much for sharing. I love the video. I know how big the weeds are, I think yellow woodsorrel or the indigenous ones. So for a moment, the video looked like a normal slug, but against the weeds the perspective was rectified! And then in your post with your dog getting close to it. Amazing creatures!
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