Leaf sheep wins Invertebrate of the Year 2026

The leaf sheep, a neon green solar-powered slug the size of a grain of rice, won the Guardian's Invertebrate of the Year 2026 global ballot. The species, first described in 1993, beat the giant Patagonian bumblebee and horseshoe crab. The competition celebrates invertebrates, which make up about 97% of all animals.