Effects of Land-use and Collection on the Decline of African Giant Snails in Nigeria

Abstract

The African Giant Snail is a dependable source of animal protein for a large proportion of Nigerians. However, in the past few decades, the supply of this Snail and two others of different genera but similar use, has declined. The causes, examined in this paper, which affect its collection and decline in forest reserves are due to a combination of socio-economic and cultural factors: a cultural orientation of the rural dwellers towards the collection and utilization of snails for food, cash, traditional medicine, and sacrifice; indiscriminate destruction of snail habitats due to ignorance or neglect of the resource; and lack of incentives and inadequate data for snail management.Snail collection is a legitimate occupation of rural dwellers. However, because forestry laws in Nigeria regard snails as minor forest products, no legislative, conservational, or management, controls can be effected — hence their collection will continue in future because of their value to Mankind. As the African Giant Snail is fast approaching local endangered status, the fear exists that, unless effective conservation measures are taken urgently, the survival of this biotic resource would appear to be in jeopardy. It is suggested that: (a) representative forests in each ecological zone should be preserved for wildlife conservation; (b) smallholder snail-farming should be encouraged among rural and urban dwellers to de-emphasize its collection from the optimal wild source; and (c) research should be conducted on the ecology and biology of the major snail species to develop a database from which their management within the reserves can be effected.