Back in November, the News Tribune reported that a new species of snail had invaded Tacoma, Washington, causing the U.S. Department of Agriculture to order it eradicated. What makes the Mediterranean snail (Cernuella virgata) attract the attention of the federal government over the other non-native snail species in the USA? Unfortunately for farmers in the Tacoma area, Mediterranean snails like agricultural fields, and can ruin crops by covering them with trails of slime.
The property owners charged with the eradication had difficulties keeping up with the strict 25-day deadline, so the USDA is now working with them to try to get the snails cleaned up as soon as possible. One innovative way they are doing it: using goats to eat the vegetation in the infested areas so that workers can more easily get in to apply the bait that poisons the snails. You can read more about the "Rent-A-Ruminant" goats in this blurb from the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Bonus points to the News Tribune for using the snail's scientific name (though, as budak notes in the comments, that is one odd common name for a snail native to Asia and Africa).
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Hello Jennifer,
My name is Dan Davies and I am the super cheesy, grown man in tights and a cape.(Captain PU) Thank you for the nice critique. I'm glad you liked it. We do have a longer version available as well. In it I also fight Rusty Crayfish and Zebra Mussels. Captain PU is an ongoing comedy sketch on my televised cooking show produced by Video Trend Associates. VTA also produces a great environmental show. Feel free to email me at dannydavez@yahoo.com for more info. Again thank you for your kind words and keep up the good work.
Warmest regards,
Dan Davies
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