Ever thought about slugs? What about jumping slugs?

Probably not.

But they香蕉视频直播檙e a thing 香蕉视频直播� and they香蕉视频直播檙e threatened, as by , the NPR affiliate based in Seattle.

Like the threatened spotted owl, slugs are important indicators of the health of Vancouver Island香蕉视频直播檚 rainforest.

香蕉视频直播淭hey are important to forests,香蕉视频直播� said Jennifer Huron, provincial invertebrate conservation specialist with the B.C. Environment Ministry. 香蕉视频直播淟ike all biodiversity in the forests, they deserve protection and attention.香蕉视频直播�

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 香蕉视频直播� 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.

香蕉视频直播淭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 they香蕉视频直播檙e covered up,香蕉视频直播� said biologist Kristiina Ovaska. 香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 a fascinating interaction between the fungi, the trees and the little animals, such as slugs.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淲e don香蕉视频直播檛 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 they香蕉视频直播檙e about fully.香蕉视频直播�

Dromedary and warty jumping-slugs are difficult to find, as they香蕉视频直播檙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.

香蕉视频直播淵ou really have to look for them, especially with a species that香蕉视频直播檚 rare and patchily distributed. You need to know where to look and go out at night when it is raining,香蕉视频直播� Ovaska said.

A provincial mapping project is attempting to identify where the slugs live, with a view to accessing their habitat.

It香蕉视频直播檚 not as simple as it sounds.

The slugs can only be found in the wet months of the year 香蕉视频直播� March to May and September to October 香蕉视频直播� and scientists need to be there while it香蕉视频直播檚 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.

香蕉视频直播淢y job is to provide the science, and then others make those policy and socio-economic decisions,香蕉视频直播� Huron said.

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