Ever thought about slugs? What about jumping slugs?
Probably not.
But theyB次元官网网址檙e a thing B次元官网网址� and theyB次元官网网址檙e threatened, as by , the NPR affiliate based in Seattle.
Like the threatened spotted owl, slugs are important indicators of the health of Vancouver IslandB次元官网网址檚 rainforest.
B次元官网网址淭hey are important to forests,B次元官网网址� said Jennifer Huron, provincial invertebrate conservation specialist with the B.C. Environment Ministry. B次元官网网址淟ike all biodiversity in the forests, they deserve protection and attention.B次元官网网址�
The decline of two slug species on the south Island worries scientists: the dromedary and warty jumping-slugs. The species are both listed as threatened by the federal government.
The warty jumping-slug glides through the forests of the Sooke region. In contrast, the dromedary jumping-slug slimily slides through the undergrowth of the ancient forests of Port Renfrew along the coast to Pacific Rim National Park near Tofino.
And in case you were wondering: they do jump by flopping around on the forest floor B次元官网网址� a defence mechanism, of sorts.
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Jumping-slugs primarily inhabit mature and older temperate rainforests. They require coarse woody debris and continually moist microhabitat to lay their eggs and take cover to minimize dehydration stress.
Slugs and snails play an essential part in the ecosystem by feeding on decaying and live vegetable matter like mushrooms, constantly turning over nutrients and keeping healthy the soil and plants that grow there.
B次元官网网址淭he fungi the slugs like are in the humus layer, so something has to come up and dig them up and disperse the spores, because theyB次元官网网址檙e covered up,B次元官网网址� said biologist Kristiina Ovaska. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a fascinating interaction between the fungi, the trees and the little animals, such as slugs.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淲e donB次元官网网址檛 fully understand what each part of the ecosystem does or what these species do. The unique bits of DNA has been evolving for a long time. We really need to protect all parts to understand what theyB次元官网网址檙e about fully.B次元官网网址�
Dromedary and warty jumping-slugs are difficult to find, as theyB次元官网网址檙e small and nocturnal and often hidden in leaves and fallen logs. Warty slugs are less than two centimetres in length, while the dromedary slug ranges in size from five to six centimetres.
B次元官网网址淵ou really have to look for them, especially with a species thatB次元官网网址檚 rare and patchily distributed. You need to know where to look and go out at night when it is raining,B次元官网网址� Ovaska said.
A provincial mapping project is attempting to identify where the slugs live, with a view to accessing their habitat.
ItB次元官网网址檚 not as simple as it sounds.
The slugs can only be found in the wet months of the year B次元官网网址� March to May and September to October B次元官网网址� and scientists need to be there while itB次元官网网址檚 raining heavily.
Huron said the plan over the next two years is to collect research material and create maps; they hope to leverage more money to protect the species. The maps will help to local government, industry and other property owners make informed decisions on the risk to the species.
B次元官网网址淢y job is to provide the science, and then others make those policy and socio-economic decisions,B次元官网网址� Huron said.
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