Our center, with the support of its administration, recently held a workshop on the “Giant African Snail: Damages and Risks.” This workshop, part of our ongoing scientific activities, took place on Wednesday, February 5, 2025, and was organized by the center’s workshop and seminar committee, led by Assistant Professor Dr. Hana Hani Al-Saffar. Second-year Life Sciences students from Al-Farabi University College attended, accompanied by lecturer Assistant Lecturer Ali Kamel Wanas.
The workshop, presented by Assistant Lecturer Hiba Muhammad Jihad from the Department of Insects and Invertebrates, detailed the snail’s origins in Tanzania and Kenya, Africa, and its subsequent spread to tropical and subtropical regions worldwide, including parts of Asia, the Pacific Islands, and the Americas. The giant African snail is a significant global pest, federally banned in the United States, and considered the most common invasive snail species internationally. Its spread is often attributed to human activities like trade and transportation, with accidental transport via agricultural machinery, vehicles, and garden waste being common. The snail’s adaptability contributes to its rapid and widespread proliferation.
The lecture focused on the snail’s global pest status and its potential to cause a rare form of meningitis in humans, along with other health risks and economic damage to crops. The recent emergence of this snail in Iraqi society was also highlighted. The lecturer emphasized the need to investigate its spread within Iraq and to raise public awareness about the dangers of acquiring and keeping these snails as pets, due to their potential to transmit parasitic and bacterial pathogens to both humans and animals.
We congratulate our faculty on their efforts to serve society, science, and knowledge.