A snail's pace is, well, it's usually pretty slow. But "slow" doesn't describe the spread of the prolific New Zealand Mud Snail, which today threatens waterways throughout the western United States. First spotted in Idaho in the late 1980s, these tiny snails have hitched rides on boat hulls, boots, animal fur, and bird feathers. Today, you can find them in southern California. As small as a grain of sand, this snail?s threat is its reproductive capacity. The voracious gastropods can double in number within months, and hundreds of thousands can crowd into a single square yard. If left unchecked, they can crowd out native snails and insects, depriving fish and amphibians of important sources of food. Native fisheries could be at risk, and conservationists worry that some endangered species may be adversely affected. To help, clean fishing gear and boating equipment thoroughly after each use. And don?t move live fish or plants from one body of water to another. Such precautions could slow the spread of these invaders down to?well, to something more like a ?snail?s pace.?

A snail's pace is, well, it's usually pretty slow. But "slow" doesn't describe the spread of the prolific New Zealand Mud Snail, which today threatens waterways throughout the western United States. First spotted in Idaho in the late 1980s, these tiny snails have hitched rides on boat hulls, boots, animal fur, and bird feathers. Today, you can find them in southern California. As small as a grain of sand, this snail?s threat is its reproductive capacity. The voracious gastropods can double in number within months, and hundreds of thousands can crowd into a single square yard. If left unchecked, they can crowd out native snails and insects, depriving fish and amphibians of important sources of food. Native fisheries could be at risk, and conservationists worry that some endangered species may be adversely affected. To help, clean fishing gear and boating equipment thoroughly after each use. And don?t move live fish or plants from one body of water to another. Such precautions could slow the spread of these invaders down to?well, to something more like a ?snail?s pace.?