Hot Pink Sub Alpine Slug

This is the endangered giant pink Mount Kaputar Slug. They only live in at the top of Mount Kaputar in a 100km/40 square mile area. It was 8 degrees Celsius when I found this one. That's 2 pairs of pants and gloves weather for me. But this one's out here naked. Researchers at the Australian museum think 90% of the population was wiped out by the fires in 2019. But I found one. So there's at least one left. I hope they stick around for a while longer.

This photo was selected as iNaturalist's Photo of the Day!

Fellow naturalists looking to see these in Kaputar National park should note, I heard second hand that these slugs come out after a big rain. I found one two days since the last storm. You'd think their bright pink coloring would have them stick out, but the red snow gum leaves that litter the ground give them excellent camouflage.