I think Colorado Governor Jared Polis got a little bit bored this weekend.

Why do I say that? Well, on February 19, Polis went looking for an animal only native to our beautiful state. In his Facebook status, Polis wrote:

"Wouldn't it be cool if we were the only state with a certain kind of bird or lizard? Well I didn't find any mammals, reptiles, or birds that are unique to Colorado, but I did find one animal that only lives in our state: Limnodrilus sulphurensis, a type of red worm that only lives in Sulphur Cave Spring near Steamboat Springs!"

No, we don't get a cool bird or lizard, but what makes this red worm worth pointing out? Not only was it highlighted by our state's Governor, but the Limnodrilus sulphurensis (or Sulphur Cave Worm) does have some interesting features.

For one, they're living in a totally toxic environment. In a story for National Geographic written in 2016, photographer Normal Thompson and a small group of scientists ventured into a cave beneath Steamboat Springs that was teeming with dangerous gases and dripping sulphuric acid, but found these worms thriving. 

The worms were discovered by David Steinmann of the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, whom Polis also highlights in his post. You can read his full worm report below, and try to decide for yourself: What about Colorado do you think these worms represent? Maybe what Polis says below: That we've all got to stick together to survive.

These 29 Snakes Live in Colorado

 

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