They may be bright pink, but Mount Kaputar's famous giant pink slugs sometimes give us the slip, so the National Parks and Wildlife Service is urging visitors to send in your slug snapshots on a new app.
National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) Senior Project Officer Adam Fawcett said visitors to Mount Kaputar National Park can share in the slug search.
"The slugs are part of the Mount Kaputar Land Snail and Slug Threatened Ecological Community (TEC), a group of 20 snail and one slug species that exist nowhere else in the world.
"While the pink slugs have become the pin-ups of this TEC, the snails are also fascinating, with some being only as big as a pin head.
"Recently we conducted a search to see how the slugs and snails were faring after the summer bushfires.
"While we recorded good numbers of our snail species and could see evidence of recent slug activity with their distinctive feeding trails, the slugs did give our surveyors the slip.
"That's why other tools like the Slug Sleuth App can be really helpful in helping us ensure the slug's survival.
"By snapping shots of the slugs on the app, it's hoped we can track the health and status of the ecological community across Mount Kaputar National Park.
"The information collected will help improve our knowledge of where the threatened ecological community occurs, its recovery post-fire, preferred habitat and assist with ongoing conservation efforts.
"The app was developed as part of the NSW Government's Saving our Species program and is free to download for both iOS and Android devices. Use the search term 'Slug Sleuth' or 'Kaputar' to find the app in your preferred app store," Mr Fawcett said.
The Saving our Species program is the NSW Government's commitment to securing the future of the State's threatened plants and animals. To find out more, or to get involved with Saving our Species visit Help save our threatened species.
