Hundreds of giant invasive snails removed from San Antonio River Walk

SAN ANTONIO — Hundreds of giant invasive snails were among the items removed from San Antonio’s famed River Walk, a cleanup that takes place every two years.

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According to the San Antonio River Authority, the agency has already removed more than 500 apple snails from the waterway that snakes through downtown San Antonio, WOAI-TV reported. Officials have been draining the River Walk since the 1980s, the television station reported.

The snails were first found in the River Walk in October 2019, according to WOAI.

“The River Walk area is world-famous, and we feel a great responsibility to keep it beautiful and attractive to residents, as well as tourists,” Nefi Garza, assistant director of San Antonio Public Works, told reporters. “One of the best ways to do this is to periodically drain the river.”

Other items pulled from the water included folding chairs, a stroller, a baby doll, fiesta beads and a toy gorilla, the San Antonio Express-News reported.

Chris Vaughn, a senior aquatic biologist for the San Antonio River Authority, said Tuesday that crews began removing and relocating native and non-native species, WOAI reported. Vaughn told reporters that the agency’s main priority was to relocate native aquatic organisms.

Vaughn said the apple snails were donated to Southwestern University, the Express-News reported.

The River Walk cleanup is expected to continue through Sunday, the television station reported.

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