A new species of snails is invading various regions of the Great Lakes. Experts suggest that the problem may be difficult to deal with.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), along with researchers from 10 universities, discovered the Bithynia tentaculata, a faucet snail, in several new locations of the Great Lakes in the last three years.
Scientists suggest that faucet snails usually carry intestinal fluke parasites, which can prove deadly to waterfowl, including coots and ducks found in the region. According to researchers at the Grand Valley State University, the snails are native to Europe but have invaded many more coastline regions of the Great Lakes than previously thought by scientists.
When these snails are eaten by waterfowl, the intestinal fluke parasites can attack the birds' internal organs severely, causing bleeding lesions then death. Infected birds start appearing lethargic and find it difficult to dive and fly.
A full-grown faucet snail measures about half an inch in height. They are normally brown to black in color with a unique spiral of concentric circles, which resemble tree rings, found on the opening cover of the shell. Even though they do not travel on their own, their tiny size makes them easily transportable by ducks, boats, anchors, aquatic plants and more.
"Coastal wetlands provide numerous ecosystem services, yet are critically threatened," said Alan Steinman, director of the Annis Water Resources Institute and a collaborator on the project. "This is another example of how our natural systems are constantly at risk, and why it is so important to remain vigilant, as is being done through this basin-wide monitoring effort."
Experts say that the findings of the latest study reflect the importance of monitoring ecological conditions on a large scale. Making the findings easily and publicly available helps authorities take relevant actions as soon as possible.
Researchers did not directly find the snails but found them in waterfowls that ate them then became ill. Experts suggest that even though the snail is dangerous to waterfowl, it does not cause sickness in humans.
The snail is believed to have arrived at the Great Lakes in 1870s in ship ballast or from packing crates. The parasites found in the snails were responsible for the deaths of about 9,000 birds in 2007 and 2008 in Lake Winnibigoshish. Researchers believe that this new species of snail is competing with native species and is also responsible for clogging water pipes.
The snail species have been found in Minnesota, Montana and Wisconsin. The snail is also said to have spread to southern Quebec in Canada. Authorities report that eradicating the faucet snail species from the Great Lakes is an extremely difficult task.
