Ever thought about slugs? What about jumping slugs?

Probably not.

But they91裸聊视频檙e a thing 91裸聊视频� and they91裸聊视频檙e threatened, as by , the NPR affiliate based in Seattle.

Like the threatened spotted owl, slugs are important indicators of the health of Vancouver Island91裸聊视频檚 rainforest.

91裸聊视频淭hey are important to forests,91裸聊视频� said Jennifer Huron, provincial invertebrate conservation specialist with the B.C. Environment Ministry. 91裸聊视频淟ike all biodiversity in the forests, they deserve protection and attention.91裸聊视频�

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 91裸聊视频� 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.

91裸聊视频淭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 they91裸聊视频檙e covered up,91裸聊视频� said biologist Kristiina Ovaska. 91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 a fascinating interaction between the fungi, the trees and the little animals, such as slugs.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淲e don91裸聊视频檛 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 they91裸聊视频檙e about fully.91裸聊视频�

Dromedary and warty jumping-slugs are difficult to find, as they91裸聊视频檙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.

91裸聊视频淵ou really have to look for them, especially with a species that91裸聊视频檚 rare and patchily distributed. You need to know where to look and go out at night when it is raining,91裸聊视频� Ovaska said.

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

It91裸聊视频檚 not as simple as it sounds.

The slugs can only be found in the wet months of the year 91裸聊视频� March to May and September to October 91裸聊视频� and scientists need to be there while it91裸聊视频檚 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.

91裸聊视频淢y job is to provide the science, and then others make those policy and socio-economic decisions,91裸聊视频� Huron said.

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