Hot pink slug adds to Australia's lengthy list of creepy animals

GlobalPost

Australia is home to a number of terrifying beasts both on land and at sea but nothing is as terrifying as this startling new finding: flamboyant, hot pink slugs.

The giant hot pink slug was discovered by a park ranger on Mount Kaputar in New South Wales.

The slugs are about eight-inches long and are found only within about a four square mile subalpine area.

The unmissable creatures feed on moss and mold found on tree bark.

Though one would think that being bright red in the animal kingdom would be a disadvantage, the slugs blend in with eucalyptus leaves that turn red when they fall from their branches.

Mount Kaputar is apparently home to a number of ancient species that existed when Australia was covered in rainforest.

Geological activity dried out the land down under but Mount Kaputar's creatures survived 5000-feet above sea level.

Because it's Australia, the slugs are, of course, scary flesh-eating cannibals.

"We've actually got three species of cannibal snail on Mount Kaputar, and they're voracious little fellas," said ranger Michael Murphy who discovered the pink slug.

"They hunt around on the forest floor to pick up the slime trail of another snail, then hunt it down and gobble it up."

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