He used to sell fishermen wanting to catch barbel or eel in the Gamtoos River. The snail feeds on over 500 species of plants. But since 2014 it has spread to 45 different areas across Trinidad. From 2012-2013 there was a giant African snail infestation in Diego Martin, which was contained. The late Jan Pampoen of Steytlerville would sometimes grab a crowbar, climb on a bicycle and go to the town’s desert-like golf course after rains to look for earthworm mounds and casts.Ībout half a metre underground, he’d find two, three or four of these big earthworms, all wound together. Mohanansingh believes someone brought it into Trinidad illegally for reasons unknown. Giant earthworms are preyed upon by giant golden moles and also the odd person seeking fishing bait. ![]() ![]() ![]() Karoo giant earthworms are usually found half a metre underground. Microchaetus skeadi shows a preference for the Karoo and Eastern Cape, and although seldom seen, is listed as of the most interesting inhabitants of the Mountain Zebra National Park near Cradock. Or even to what extent they have added to the still-impressive fertility of the Karoo soils. No one yet seems too concerned about whether our slimy Karoo Big Boys are also vanishing. Hornbills have been observed using crushed millipedes to line their cavity nests in trees possibly to avoid. When disturbed, millipedes escape predation by moving away in a slithering, snake-like motion, which may scare off some predators. And they’ve put them under protection, because the worms were thought to be vanishing fast because of pesticide use. Millipedes also curl up into a tight ball when threatened, to protect their soft underparts. South Africa has the largest earthworm ever found, according to the international Worm Digest digital archives.Ī giant worm measuring nearly seven metres (22 feet) was found beside a road near King William’s Town back in 1967.Īustralians, who have the much smaller Giant Gippsland Earthworm (only one metre long, on average), devote a whole worm-shaped museum to them. ![]() Startled motorists spot them more often than scientists. This is a time when giant two-metre earthworms rear up out of their burrows and find a road to cross. A Karoo thunderstorm is a wondrous, scary thing. Danie Craven of Noorspoort Guestfarm near Steytlerville, with giant earthworms.
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