Self-Cloning Invasive Snails Found in Northern Colorado Lake

A tiny but troublesome invasive snail has been found in Carter Lake in Northern Colorado. Colorado Parks and Wildlife confirmed the presence of New Zealand mudsnails in the lake. Officials are now working to stop the snails from spreading to other bodies of water across the state. The discovery is a serious concern because these snails are very hard to get rid of once they move in.

New Zealand mudsnails are small, brown snails that can cause big problems for lakes and rivers. They eat huge amounts of nutrients in an ecosystem, leaving less food for other animals. They compete with native species — animals that naturally belong in an area — for food and resources. Unlike many other creatures, they do not give anything back to the ecosystem they live in.

One of the strangest things about these snails is how they reproduce. They can clone themselves, meaning one snail can make copies of itself without needing a mate. This makes them extremely difficult to eliminate once they settle into a body of water. Colorado Parks and Wildlife spokesperson Kara Van Hoose said this is a major reason officials are focused on stopping their spread rather than removing them from Carter Lake.

The snails do not harm human health, but they are bad news for fish and birds. Fish cannot digest them properly, and birds can swallow them whole and pass them through their bodies without killing them. This means the snails can survive being eaten and end up somewhere new. 'They are not good food for fish. They can pass right through birds that eat them and then come out unscathed,' Van Hoose said.

Carter Lake is not the only place in Colorado where these snails have shown up. Van Hoose said New Zealand mudsnails have now been confirmed in 41 other bodies of water across the state. Officials say the snails are likely already a permanent part of Carter Lake's ecosystem. The main goal now is making sure they do not travel to other lakes and rivers in Larimer County.

To help stop the spread, boat inspection checkpoints have been set up at Carter Lake. Workers check boats for New Zealand mudsnails, as well as other invasive species like zebra mussels. Boat owner Byron Maine, who was visiting the lake, said inspections have become a normal part of boating in Colorado. These steps help make sure invasive species do not get a free ride to a new home.