ISSN 2756-3693
African Journal of Biology ISSN 2167-0413 Vol. 2 (1), pp. 126-129, January, 2015. © International Scholars Journals
Review
Unhealthy environmental controversy involving exotic and native land snails in Brazil
Ayrton Lima Baccarin
Project “Avulsos Malacológicos”, Caixa Postal, P.O. Box 010, 88010-970, Centro, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, SC, Brasil.
E-mail: [email protected]
Accepted 8 November, 2014
Abstract
A diagnostic about the conservation status of the Brazilian native land snails, severely threatened by human actions and attempts for the eradication of the invasive exotic mollusc species Achatina (Lissachatina) fulica (Bowdich, 1822) is presented. Purposely introduced in the country in 1988 for human food purpose s (continental malacoculture), this species ended up being officially banned later in 2003, triggering ha sty public actions, directly involving the “unprepared” Brazilian population through the means of social communication, aimed at their control and eradication of the environment. Consequence of this procedure, premature and alarmist, today many species of native and endemic terrestrial snails, poorly known scientifically, are under increased threat of extinction in Brazil and, very probably, in other South American countries.
Key words: Exotic mollusc, eradication, native snails, conservation, Brazil.