Sammy the Slug

The banana slug is the official mascot of UC Santa Cruz, voted for overwhelmingly by students in 1986. For many years before that, the slug reigned as the unofficial response to the fierce athletic competition that characterizes most universities. UCSC's approach is simpler: athletics should be for everyone, and the joy of participating is more important than winning. Go Slugs!!

We went for a walk in the forest this morning and were lucky enough to spot two of these distinctive creatures as they slowly (up to six and a half inches per minute) made their way along the path. Although there isn't anything in the photo to illustrate scale, trust me when I say this guy was about seven inches long.