Visitors to Mount Kaputar National Park these school holidays are being reminded to snap a shot if they see one of the park's famous fluorescent pink slugs and log it in the Slug Sleuth app.
National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) Senior Project Officer Adam Fawcett said sharing in the slug search was a fun holiday activity.
'The slugs are part of the Mount Kaputar Land Snail and Slug Threatened Ecological Community (TEC), a group of 11 snails and one slug species that exist nowhere else in the world.
'The Kaputar or giant pink slug is fluorescent pink and grows to a massive 20 cm long and 6 cm wide.
'It's a kid's dream species.
'With predictions of a La Nina, we could be in for some wet weather and that's perfect weather for finding slugs!
'The slugs feed on lichen, fungi and micro-algae on the surface of eucalypt bark and rock faces.
'They are most commonly seen at night but can also be found on misty mornings and any time after rain.
'Across Mount Kaputar National Park they are most commonly seen across the high-altitude areas, anywhere from the Coryah Gap picnic area up to the summit and surrounding areas.
'By reporting sightings, citizen scientists are helping threatened species experts determine where the slug is found, it's habitat preferences and if it's being affected by a changing climate over time,' Mr Fawcett said.
The Slug Sleuth app is 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.
The Saving our Species program is the NSW Government's commitment to securing the future of the State's threatened plants and animals, backed by $175 million over 10 years.
