The apple snail grows as big as a small fist.

(Photo by reporter Yang Jincheng)

[Reporter Yang Jincheng/Report from Tainan] An eye-opener!

Small apple snails have grown to the size of giants. The shell is 7 cm long and wide, and 5.5 cm high. There are many of them in the Jana Education Park in Guantian, Tainan, and they have become the scourge of Jana.

There are 11 jacana rehabilitation pond habitats in the Guantian Jacana Education Park. Recently, taking advantage of the drought and the water level has dropped, the habitats have been cleaned up and the apple snails in the mud have been removed. There are many apple snails that are bigger than a 50 yuan coin, and there are even super large apple snails. The size of the snail shell is as big as the palm of a person.

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The jacana park regenerates the entire pond from January to May every year to build the home of jacanas and welcome the breeding season.

Li Wenzhen, Director of the Jacuna Park, said that the apple snails in the pool reproduce rapidly and will eat the gorgon seeds and water chestnut seedlings in the habitat. The "three pests" such as apple snails, yellow water dragons, and lotus roots must be removed every year. The apple snails alone must be removed. More than 10,000 jin.

This year's drought and water shortage, the pool habitat in the Jana Park either dried up or the water level dropped. In addition to hiring workers and volunteers to remove apple snails, students who were teaching ecology in the park were also invited to participate. Today (25th) there were Chiayi primary school students stepping on muddy water to help Pick up and remove the apple snails and harmful aquatic plants, surprised that the apple snails grow to such a large size!

Li Wenzhen said that the water source of the rehabilitation pond mainly depends on the water diversion from Madou Shuizhen. The apple snails flow into the rehabilitation pond with the water and grow and reproduce rapidly. Ensnare, the entire net can be caught overnight.

However, apple snails reproduce rapidly and are numerous, making it hard to catch. Apple snails hide in the soil and are difficult to remove completely. The "snails that slipped through the net" stay in the rehabilitation pond and grow into super-large apple snails after 1 or 2 years.

Li Wenzhen said that among the 100 apple snails seized, about 5% were large and could only be removed as best they could.

Elementary school students help remove apple snails and protect jacanas.

(Photo by reporter Yang Jincheng)

The apple snail grows to the size of a giant.

(Photo by reporter Yang Jincheng)

The apple snails in the Jacana Education Park in Guantian, Tainan have become a scourge of the Jana.

(Photo by reporter Yang Jincheng)

Apple snails will eat water chestnut seedlings and Gorgon seeds.

(Photo by reporter Yang Jincheng)

Li Wenzhen, director of Tainan Guantian Jacuna Park, shows off the super-large apple snails he caught.

(Photo by reporter Yang Jincheng)