Distribution of the genus Pila include Africa, Madagascar, southern Asia and Indo-Pacific islands.

It is amphibious in nature and can undergo summer sleep or aestivation under drought condition.

It is generally found in lakes, pools, and sometimes even in the river streams where aquatic vegetation like Vallisneria, Pistia are found in large amount for food.

[6] The shells of Pila are used in traditional ethnomedicine for weakness by Saharia people in Rajasthan, India.

[7] Pila ampullacea and Pila pesmei are some of the rice field snail species traditionally eaten in Thailand that have been displaced by the invasive golden apple snail, Pomacea canaliculata.