Magnum slug

As a recent arrival to the Northwest, I have no way of knowing if this is a normal size for a gastropod in these parts. I should ask Kristin, who probably used to befriend hell-beasts like this in the family garden in Portland when she was a little tyke.

But speaking for myself, I can say with conviction that this is the largest slug I've ever seen in my life. I hope my training hikes continue to provide such rich wildlife interactions.

UPDATE: My girlfriend, as predicted, turned out to be a fount of information about slugs. She says that this is a banana slug, that yes this is a normal size, that you can tell it's moving because its antennae are out, and that these are an "integral part of Northwest forest ecosystems."

And lest anyone be tempted to crack wise about my foot size, I'll have you know that's a size 10 for scale.