Cortes Species Highlight: Banana Slug!
— by Shannon Hogan, April 15, 2023
Have you ever been strolling through the forest when all of a sudden, you just happen to look down just in time to narrowly avoid stepping on the largest slug you’ve ever seen?! Yeah, that happens to me all the time. This funny-looking slug is affectionately known as a Banana Slug and they’re one of the largest slugs in the world!
These guys are big night owls, preferring to be mostly nocturnal and spend the whole night eating. They do a great job of munching all of the decaying plants, animals and fungi around, helping the forest return a bunch of nutrients back into the soil. Next time you see one, say “thank you” to this little guy for keeping our forest’s soils a little bit more in balance with each of their bites!
Click these links to learn more about the Banana Slug:
Biodiversity of the Central Coast
Sierra Club BC: Banana Slug
We would love to hear about and post your experiences with any of Cortes’ local flora and fauna! Please submit your short story and tell us something fun about your favourite species by reaching out to us at: friendsofcortesisland@gmail.com.
We welcome everyone to take action with us and become a member, donate or volunteer with us!
