The rare snail who's looking for love in New Zealand

Ned (front) was discovered in a garden in Wairarapa by author and illustrator Giselle Clarkson.

Meet Ned, a New Zealand snail who is struggling to find love.

It's because the garden-variety sluggard has a spiral that coils to the left, rather than to the right like most other snails.

This means Ned can only mate with other "lefties', a trait found in just one in 40,000.

However, with the help of New Zealand Geographic, his love life might not progress at a snails pace.

New Zealand Geographic have asked people to keep an eye out for leftie snails in their gardens.

They have asked people across New Zealand to rummage in their veggie patches, gardens and parks to try and find another left-coiled snail for Ned to meet.

The best places to find snails is in damp, shaded areas in the day, or on a mild night when snails are more likely to roam in the open.

If aspiring snail-matchmakers are lucky enough to find another leftie, they are encouraged to pop it in a jar with some spinach and to get in touch with New Zealand Geographic.

So that Ned can find love and live slime-ily ever after.