Apple Snails

In the 1980's, the Apple Snail was introduced in Taiwan to start an escargot industry. Such food culture can provided protein for the local population, especially useful for the farmers, who primary live on a rice diet, low in proteins. However, the snails didn't become a culinary success. It also became quickly clear that the imported species were able to transfer the Angiostrongylus cantonensis (rat lungworm) parasite just like the native apple snail population (Pila). This parasite spends a part of its life cycle in apple snails and can infect humans when the snail isn't cooked long enough before consumption.

Instead of becoming a food source they escaped, and became a serious pest, posing a real threat to the rice production and the environment. During the 1980's the introduced snails rapidly spread to Indonesia, Thailand, Cambodia, Hong Kong, southern China, Japan and the Philippines and there are indications that they are currently invading Australia.