Scientists stock Lake Okeechobee with apple snails
OKEECHOBEE, Fla. (AP) -- Scientists from the South Florida Water Management District are releasing 3,000 Florida apple snails into a marsh north of Lake Okeechobee to help the endangered snail kite.
The snail is the primary food source for the snail kite, whose North American range is limited to South Florida.
District environmental scientist Eric Crawford says apple snails have disappeared from Lake Okeechobee after a string of floods, hurricanes and drought. Without their food, snail kites also have left the lake.
The water district is stocking Eagle Bay Marsh with the snails to see if they'll survive and lure the snail kites back to the lake.
Each snail has a numbered, plastic tag glued to its shell.
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