There’s a snail problem in western Honshu. During Japan’s bubble era, an entrepreneur purchased giant snails from South America in a scheme to breed them as a gourmet food. Unfortunately, the snails proved anything but tasty, so the business went under and the snails found themselves dumped. They soon multiplied and started damaging crops, becoming a major problem for farmers.

Here’s a news report about what they are doing to eradicate these pests:

A possible solution to the pest has been found. Ducks are fed a mix of normal food and the snail’s pink eggs from birth, eliminating the natural aversion they would have towards the poisonous-looking pink eggs. When the report shows such ducks being released into snail-infested areas, the ducks devour every egg in sight. It is a promising step towards the eventual elimination of the snail threat!