Trails Of Slime
Massive amounts of slime are left all over the landscape. People are complaining about the government's lack of action on the most important issue of the day. But it's really all about the slime. American politics? Well, yes, but that's not what this post is about. It's about a whole different thing entirely.
Giant snails taking over Barbados.
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados – A breed of giant, ravenous snails that first appeared in Barbados five years ago has thrived on the tropical island, destroying crops and prompting calls for the government to eliminate the slimy pests.
A nocturnal "snail hunt" last weekend reported finding hundreds of thousands of giant African snails swarming the central parish of St. George, the country's agricultural heartland where farmers had complained of damage to crops including sugar cane, bananas and papayas.
"We saw snails riding on each other's backs and moving in clusters," said David Walrond, chairman of the local emergency response office that organized 60 volunteers for the hunt. "You're just crunching the shells as you're walking through."
The snails were riding snails? This is very bad. The animal uprising has cavalry. The slime the snails leave behind can transmit meningitis and other diseases. The snails are also the size of a human hand.
UPDATE: Just to help keep BubbaB from having nightmares about gigantic snails, we've located a picture that gives a sense of scale to these things. He won't have nightmares after this. He'll never go to sleep!
They're coming for your pickles. Bwahahahaha. More pictures here.
Other Links to this Post
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AGITPROP: Version 3.0, Featuring Blogenfreude — November 8, 2006 @ 1:34 pm
By BubbaB, November 8, 2006 @ 11:08 am
“The snails are the size of a human hand.” Okay, NOW I am going to have nightmares.
By Quilly Mammoth, November 8, 2006 @ 11:28 am
“Giant African Land Snails breed quite often, and lay about 200 eggs at a time. If you want these to hatch, you will need to keep them somewhere warm and moist for about two weeks.”
Here’s link to some pictures:
http://www.slimy-snails.co.uk/pg2.htm
People keep them as pets in the UK. They are illegal in the US because they might escape and do damage. Uhmm…just like what is happening in Barbados.
By Gaius, November 8, 2006 @ 11:34 am
Hey, BubbaB, now you won’t get nightmares. After looking at those pictures, you’ll never get to sleep!
By blogenfreude, November 8, 2006 @ 1:37 pm
Snails? Feh – I’m freaking out about giant Japanese jellyfish.
By BubbaB, November 9, 2006 @ 10:35 am
ARRGGH!! Giant snails?!?! Giant jellyfish?!?!
AAARRRGGGHHH!!!
Can’t sleep, the snails will eat me.
Can’t sleep, the jellyfish will eat me.
Can’t sleep, the snails will eat me.
Can’t sleep, the jellyfish will eat me.
Can’t sleep, the snails will eat me.
Can’t sleep, the jellyfish will eat me…