An invasive snail has been recorded in the Maritimes for the first time
The Big-eared Radix is present in all of the Great Lakes.
A 2025 survey on freshwater snails has potentially turned up an invasive species in P.E.I., according to a recent press release from Nature P.E.I.
It’s the first time the snail, which appears to be the Big-eared Radix (Radix auricularia), has ever been recorded in the Maritimes. Officials are still awaiting the results of genetic testing to confirm the sighting.
“Reported by Jess Dewey of the P.E.I. Invasive Species Council to iNaturalist, it was found in Andrew’s Pond in East Royalty,” reads an excerpt from the statement.
“It is native to Europe and Asia, and is introduced across the USA and more sparsely in southern Canada. We speculate that it may have been released by someone who dumped the contents of an aquarium, or it may be too that more southerly snails survive further north as freshwaters warm.”
Speaking with the CBC, Dewey said it’s not clear if the snail has upset the local ecosystem, but it could pose a threat to the ram horn snail, which is native to P.E.I.
P.E.I. officials are encouraging aquarium owners to ethically surrender pets, including goldfish, to the P.E.I. Humane Society via a public awareness campaign called Don’t Let it Loose.
"A lot of species can become invasive from doing this and… it's very inhumane to the pet as well," Dewey told the CBC.
The Big-eared Radix. (Jess Dewey/Nature P.E.I.)
"Many people know that we do have invasive goldfish in P.E.I., and this is how they did get introduced to the Island, [which] was most likely through the dumping of aquarium contents."
The Big-eared Radix is present in all of the Great Lakes. Its ecological impacts are largely unknown.
Invasive species are a big drain on Canada’s economy
The Big-eared Raddix snail represents more than 1440 invasive species being tracked in Canada.
A September report finds invasive species subtract around $35 billion from Canada’s economy each year, adding pressure to our forest, agricultural, and fishing industries.
Since 1997, the Government of P.E.I., has identified seven invasive species that have negatively impacted the province’s aquaculture industry.
Learn more about the economical impact of invasive species in Canada
Header image: P.E.I. Invasive Species Council via the CBC