Kerala and the scourge of Giant African Snails

They are big and slimy. They can destroy your farmlands and bring down the walls of your house. They multiply so fast, they give bunnies a good name. They are Giant African Snails.

Put like that it sounds like the voiceover from the trailer of a cheesy Twilight Zone episode. But the scourge of the Giant African Snails in Kerala is taking a toll on the state’s property, health, agricultural resources and landscapes. And over the past two decades, it’s only gotten worse.

To be fair, the snails aren’t doing anything out of the ordinary. They feed on worms, plants …

Author

Omkar Khandekar

Omkar specializes in long-form narrative features and has reported from India, the UK, Germany and the Maldives. He writes across beats, from politics and crime to cinema and sports. His works have been published in Indian and international outlets including The Caravan, Mint Lounge, the BBC, Al Jazeera and The Huffington Post.

Senior Features Writer

omkar@mailtmc.com

Delhi