In the Santa Cruz Mountains we’re used to getting slimed by banana slugs, which, at up to12 inches long and 4 ounces in weight, are among the world’s largest slugs. (The very largest is a Black Sea sea slug which can weigh up to 30 pounds — ugh!)

The banana slug was recently named California’s official State Slug in Assembly Bill 1850,

Being so local and all, the banana slug was chosen as the mascot for the University of Santa Cruz — go Slugs! — and from there the slug was featured on a tee shirt in the movie Pulp Fiction, bringing our area even more well-deserved renown.

Fun fact: banana slugs have more teeth than sharks do. Our slugs can have up to 27,000 teeth and our local great white sharks, sadly losing out, just up to 500.

It’s always great to see a team called the Banana Slugs win track and field trophies over teams with names like Eagles and Captains. Even Poets (Whittier University) seem like they’d be faster than slugs. But our teams run fast.

Another local slowpoke

But what other creature has recently raised its head, albeit slowly, in contention for a local hero?

The giant sloth.

Yes, the giant sloth is extinct. But its remains were discovered in 2023 by some unusual paleontologists: children from the Tara Redwood School in Soquel. And what’s more stirring —again, in a very slow, thoughtful way — than a sloth the size of an ox?

How slow are we talking here?

Banana slugs are “one of the slowest creatures on earth,” according to National Geographic. Scientists don’t have any giant sloths around to clock, but they’re described somewhat dismissively as “not fast.”

Like ancient giant sloths and modern banana slugs, Cruzio is based in Santa Cruz. But as for speed, we’re more like the UCSC track team — lightning fast.