Mindless snail collection poses threat to ecology
The friend of nature adds to calcium in soil, helps maintain food chain
Hundreds of people across the district engage in massive snail collection from water bodies and paddy fields during Bangla months of Srabon to Kartik every year, much to the harm of biodiversity.
“It is high time for collecting snails that come out from bushes due to pressure of water. Snails are collected from banks of rivers and other water bodies, paddy fields and other areas,” Md Khabir Uddin, a leading snail trader, said as this correspondent visited his snail depot at Baoikola in Atghoria upazila under Pabna district a few days ago.
Khabir engaged 25 to 30 people, mostly poor young boys, to collect snails in his area and he sells 15 to 20 bags of snails from his depot daily.
Some 150 to 200 snail traders active in Atghoria, Chatmohar and Ishwardi upazilas under the district collect 500 to 600 bags of snails daily, sources said.
“Most of the wholesalers of the district supply snail to Khulna where it is made into poultry feed in factories. Each bag of snail is selling for Tk 400 to 500 to the feed factories from wholesale market,” said a trader at Tebunia wholesale snail market in Pabna Sadar upazila.
Chalanbeel and other water bodies in the district are main sources of snail collection, he said.
“We usually earn Tk 200 to 300 a day by collecting a bag of snail. This helps our poverty stricken family,” Md Sadekur Rahman, 15, of Baoikola village in Atghoria upazila.
“We don't know the importance of snails in nature. We collect it to earn money as well as to make our surroundings clear of the garbage,” said Rony Islam of the village.
Terming snails as friend of nature, geologists and environmentalists have urged taking step to stop indiscriminate collection and trade of snails.
“Snails play an important role in ecosystem by helping maintain the food chain in nature. Most land snails consume rotting vegetation like moist leaf litter, fungi and sometimes soil directly. Soft part of the snail body is used as poultry feed while the harder part adds to calcium in nature,” said Prof Rawshanara Begum, head of geology department of Pabna Edward College.