A meter long worm. That’s what a nine-year-old boy found in his backyard. explanations.
While playing in his family’s garden in Christchurch, New Zealand, barnaby domigan found something moving in the water of a nearby river. Then she took a stick to pick it up. Result: it was a dead worm one meter long, according to reports radio new zealand (RNZ).
“I could not believe what I was watching. I called him dead fred” explained to stuff the young man. “I thought it was huge and amazing and kind of gross. I tried to convince my dad to put it in a plastic bag, but he didn’t agree with the idea. I think it’s because adults don’t like giant worms in their houses. If I were an adult, I would agree. » For her part, Domigan’s mother added to RNZ that her son I was very pleased to find it. Luckily I was at work when said worm was found because it is disgusting! We’ve had some big worms here in the past, but nothing like this guy. »
as indicated john marrisCurator of the Entomology Research Collection at Lincoln University in New Zealand, “Although the huge worm looks a bit like the creature from the black lagoon, it is actually probably a native earthworm species.”. The curator adds: “Very large native earthworms are known: a meter is not beyond the limits of reason. It is rare to find a giant earthworm in a garden. They generally live in undisturbed areas, such as forests. »
In total, the continent is home to 7,000 species of earthworms in moist soils, excluding theAntarctic. They are important decomposers of organic matter and help improve soil health by promoting aeration and nutrient recycling. The title of the largest earthworm species in the world finally goes to the earthworm. gippsland australian giant land (Megascolides australis). It is almost 2 meters long. He is listed as endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List and faces threats such as toxins, habitat alteration, and changes in hydrology that could cause flooding or soil drought.