Giant, hot-pink slugs found in Australia

Australia is home to some of the world’s most unique wildlife, from flightless birds capable of disemboweling a man to giant glow-in-dark earthworms. Now a new creature can be added to that list: large, bright pink slugs.

The existence of 8-inch fluorescent pink slugs on Mount Kaputar, a 5,000-foot peak in New South Wales, has only recently been confirmed.

www.mnn.com...

People have reported seeing this creature but know its existance has been verified by scientists. The slug has survived in an isolated volcanic area since a time Australia was covered in rainforests.. What a lovely colour is it too..

Now that is disgusting!

Shove one of them up ya nose then snort it out when someone is around and looking

They'd be extremely disgusted and possibly disturbed...

How weird.... Nature almost never has brightly colored things that aren't lethal to touch or eat. Otherwise, the bright colors are like a menu board to predators "Eat at Joes! I'm on the menu!". This little guy seems to do alright though? What a weird country Australia can be. I'd love to see it some day when/if the world ever knows peace again.

reply to post by Wrabbit2000


Its thought that its bright colour is beneficial..

At night, the slugs crawl up trees to feed on mold and moss, and while their bright pink coloration might seem detrimental to their survival, scientists say the fluorescent hue is actually beneficial. Fallen eucalyptus leaves are red and help hide the organism from predators

www.mnn.com...

Very odd looking one, looks like a red chilli pepper Australia sure is home to one of the most odd & weird creatures of this planet.

Wonder what else maybe found on this dry land.....

something gross like that probably holds the key to curing cancer try licking it it could be a miracle cure

from flightless birds capable of disemboweling a man to giant glow-in-dark earthworms.

I'd like to see those. As for the slugs.. Got Salt? LOL Kidding..

These are Giant and hot pink - it's a wonder they haven't been spotted years ago. How could they be missed?

There is just no telling the creatures that have yet to be discovered.

Originally posted by Wrabbit2000
How weird.... Nature almost never has brightly colored things that aren't lethal to touch or eat. Otherwise, the bright colors are like a menu board to predators "Eat at Joes! I'm on the menu!". This little guy seems to do alright though? What a weird country Australia can be. I'd love to see it some day when/if the world ever knows peace again.

What a weird country Australia can be

They have been known about for some time, here is a report from 1999

www.gasbbqs.com.au...

2001
www2b.abc.net.au...

Here is the draft management plan from 2004
www.google.com.au... ij%2FRencana%2520Pengelolaan%2520Mount%2520Kaputar%2520NP.pdf&ei=r9WpUZmlEI_qlAXZmoDAAg&usg=AFQjCNHf8JwxYbxjPgJ-HTJq9CtMyVtCTw&sig2=MTpPQ_eC5QYp4Ugn2p qF3Q&bvm=bv.47244034,d.dGI

Originally posted by SupersonicSerpent
something gross like that probably holds the key to curing cancer try licking it it could be a miracle cure

Or not. It'll disappear.

I remember about 20 or more years ago there was a discovery in the outback here of a tree that had analgesic properties hundreds of times stronger than an opiate. They did not reveal the location of it for obvious reasons, nor the type of tree. But they said they were very interested in it and it had been used by Aborigines for centuries.

Fast forward to today... *crickets chirping*

I say *they* as an "I forget who it was but it was on the news and in the paper and there was a *they*" sort of they.

You know, back before the interwebs ruined everything with googles..

reply to post by purplemer


Giant AND hot pink! Awesome find, purple.

Ha! fire slugs are real!....SWEET!

Now find a dire wolf! Oh,a dragon would be better!

Nature is awesome, haha

reply to post by DaRAGE


ever get a broken nose before? the aftermath of one looks just like that slug..

reply to post by winofiend


Would be handy if you could remember the name of that tree.

20 years ago...would have thought that would have been plenty of time to study and clone the species a few thousand times by now.

Do you think they held back telling the public all the details for fear of decimating the species or because people might have gone and got out of their brains on the leaves?

Would have put Pharma out of busin....ahh...just found my answer.

All I have to say to this is...

Thank God Australia is on the other side of the planet from me.

Originally posted by SupersonicSerpent
something gross like that probably holds the key to curing cancer try licking it it could be a miracle cure

After you my friend, after you.

Life on earth is amazing and this just demonstrates how bizarre it can also be.

Hot pink, damn I hope these don't become the next big fashion accessory for the Sheilas.

reply to post by purplemer


Man it looks amazing with that color , never seen anything like this color before .

By the way it looks like your avatar

reply to post by winofiend


Could it be the wollemi pine? It was discovered in 1994. It was the only new tree species I could think of from Australia.
Here is a link:

Woll emipine.com

reply to post by purplemer


How long will it be untill these things find there way into a frapachino or some other "strawberry" flavoured food?

Pretty cool slug though, the world is a pretty amazing place!