Mauritius' gigantic water lily facing extinction

PORT LOUIS, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- The famous gigantic water lily of Mauritius is being eaten up by snails and facing extinction, according to an NGO.

The water lily basin is one of the main attractions of Pamplemousses botanical garden, a must for tourists to visit the Indian Ocean island country.

The basins have been invaded by Golden Apple snails suspected to be from South America, warned EPCO, an NGO for environmental conservation, warned in a statement obtained here on Monday.

The NGO also urged the authorities to make an immediate action plan to control the snails and avoid irreversible consequences.

Pamplemousses is one of the oldest botanical gardens in the southern hemisphere. It dates back to the period when France colonized Mauritius centuries ago, when the island was referred to as a French island. Enditem