Personally, I am a big salamander enthusiast. Luckily for me I am currently living in the salamander biodiversity hotspot of the world. Who would have thought? In the middle of North Carolina is a treasure trove of unique life. But out of all the animals here, none of them can compete with the mighty salamander. There is something hypnotizing about their squishy bodies, big eyes, and wiggly tails. To be near a salamander is to be in the presence of greatness. Now, I begin the momentous task of ranking my favorite salamanders from the semester.
1. Blue Ridge Two-Lined Salamander
This stunning beast was always a shoe in for a winner. This semester my project focused on the alternative reproductive tactics present in this species (aka their mustaches). Casey and I spent the first half of the semester desperate to see just one. Unfortunately, they are a bit jumpy. I struggled to truly catch on film how adorable these little fellows are. But trust me --- they’re cute.
Green Salamander
During the first week of the semester, I vowed (along with Casey) to see a Green Salamander. These adorable little fellows have a gorgeous green speckling on a black body and prefer to live in moist crevices. These elusive salamanders can often be found on cliff faces. They are the only Unfortunately, this species is endangered in the state of North Carolina and federally threatened. Their range is patchy due to their unique requirements. On the second to last day of the semester I was blessed to find one. The journey was perilous. To find the salamander we had to become the salamander. In the pouring rain we climbed through thick vegetation and crawled through the mud (just like our slimy friends) diligently searching. At last, Ken spotted one and the crowd rejoiced. We could not get a clear photo of the salamander, so I instead included a photo of the species taken by Todd Pierson.
3. Spotted Salamander
This semester I volunteered at the Highlands Nature Center to assist with animal husbandry. This was a highlight of my time in Highlands. Each Saturday I would come in for a few hours to clean out tanks, pass out diets, and occasionally a snake feeding show. Spot the salamander is a humble gentleman who has been nothing short of perfect. In the brief time I have known this salamander I have learned to respect his tenacity and determination. If this fellow does not want to leave his rock, then no amount of coaxing, prying, or begging will shoo him from his crevice. And to be honest, I don’t blame him. I would also be terrified if a giant monster tore me from my bed and tried to feed me worms. Spot is certainly the squishiest salamander I have ever held. Often when holding him I am reminded to the water wiggle toys of my youth (photo attached below). I will continue to think about Spot long after my time at HBS ends and it was difficult not to give him an automatic first place prize.
4. Eastern Hellbender
The only reason this is lower on the list is because I am mad that I have yet to see one. I loved doing projects on this species and really learned a lot about their unique (wrinkly) biology. I am planning to make an elaborate friendship bracelet with a hellbender on it (hopefully will remember to update when complete). I always describe these guys as animated seaweed. They are just so precious. Squishy and elegant. I’ve heard they’ve got a nasty bite force. One day I hope to find out for myself.
5. Seal Salamander
My first night at Highlands I went on an excursion to Dry Falls. I found one lone salamander in a small crevice of a boulder. The little guy was no bigger than my pinky finger and hiding under a small leaf, completely submerged in his little puddle. The rock indent he resided in was golf ball sized. I was mesmerized by his flat face and blanky eyes. Poor fellow was probably very startled. I later identified (with Jason’s confirmation) that it was a seal salamander. I hence forth thought seal salamanders were quite tiny--- I was mistaken. Throughout the semester I would be proven wrong time after time as I encountered increasingly larger seal salamanders. The most fruitful day was one of the first weeks of the semester. It was mid-August and perfect salamander weather. We turned our flashlights on hoping to spot the spare few sallies (our hopes dashed after the last attempt). Instead, dozens of little eyes stared back at us. They were everywhere! They stared at us and we stared at them. They were covering the waterfall rockface, some even bravely resting perilously close to the waterfall stream. An excellent discovery on an excellent night.
-SF
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