Santander. Soldiers of the Artillery Battalion No. 5 "Capitan José Antonio Galán" of the Fifth Brigade, attached to the Second Division of the National Army, made the collection of 2 thousand African snails in the municipality of Palmas del Socorro (Santander) in a day carried out with the support of the National Police, the Municipal Mayor's Office, the Fire Department and the Ministry of Health of the municipality.
Achatina fulica, scientific name, is an invasive type of snail native to Africa that is considered one of the 100 most harmful types of animals of the world. It has a smooth, glossy shell with large, irregular, dark violet longitudinal groups on a light yellow background that can reach up to 13 centimeters length. Direct contact without proper protection, can cause intestinal diseases, meningitis, tissue inflammation, diarrhea, fever and in other lethal conditions. The snails were put into custody of the authority for the correct disposal of this animal, to prevent its propagation that increases in rainy seasons.
During the environmental activity, the soldiers and other authorities made recommendations to the families about the care and precautions to be taken into account when noticing the presence of this snails, such as preventing contact with the eyes and mouth, checking their houses for propitious places where these snails could be sheltered and immediately, in case, notify the authorities.
