What factors influence the density of the giant African snail in a city in the Neotropics?

The giant African land snail, Lissachatina fulica (Bowdich 1822), has expanded its distribution throughout the tropics from its native region in Africa over the past 200 years and is a common species in urban environments. Multiple factors are associated with the presence and density of these species, and untangling the contribution of these factors is important in developing control strategies for this invasive species. The African Snail density was estimated in 1,056 sampling plots in Cali Colombia, and this variable was related to weather, microhabitat and habitat structure. This study indicated that the density of this species is mainly affected by climatic conditions, followed by habitat structural variables, and lastly by microclimatic characteristics. The strong El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) during the period of this study significantly impacted the density of the snail through physiological and behavioral mechanisms, such as aestivation, physiological stress, and altered activity levels. The structure of the habitat also plays a crucial role, with higher densities observed in areas with high Normalized Difference Building Index (NDBI) values, likely due to the availability of calcium-rich substrates. The findings of this study highlight the detrimental effect of ENSO on the population density of the giant African land snail, but the resilience of the species suggests it will continue to thrive in specific urban habitats despite climatic challenges.