Snails are built for all-terrain locomotion rather than speed. By gliding around on a trail of sticky mucous, they can negotiate pretty much any surface.
Why are snails so slow?
A snail's stickiness is not conducive to speed. In order to move at all, a snail generates waves of contractions in its muscular foot that pass from the back to the front. These compress the mucous, changing its physical properties from sticky to slippery, allowing sections of the foot to glide forward while others remain stuck to the surface. Most snails are scavengers and herbivores, so they don’t need to move faster.
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Main image: Getty
