Find Me In Shenandoah - Herpetology Post #2

Find Me In Shenandoah - Herpetology Post #2
By Anna Kay Thomas

The Shenandoah salamander is an endangered species, as it is only found within the 200,000 acres of Shenandoah National Park in the state of Virginia. They live in high elevation, rocky, and forested areas, and can be found in the park’s protected section of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Competing with the hostile Red-backed salamander for the forested territory led to the Shenandoah salamanders’ adaptation to the higher and drier areas for survival. Living on the forest floor, these lungless creatures breathe through their skin and even bury themselves to escape extreme temperatures, making their transition to mountain peaks difficult. 

They are dark brown with some displaying a bright red or yellow stripe down their back, and others lacking a stripe but having brass-colored flecks. These salamanders are active at night, only ever live on land, and rely on soil-dwelling animals and insects, like fleas, beetles, and flies, for their diet. Females lay around 13 eggs every two years then the baby salamanders are hatched a few months later, fully developed. Some Shenandoah salamanders even live a quarter of a century (25 years)!

Due to its endangered status and small habitat, it is a fairly studied species. Wishing you the best on your environmental trek!

Reflective Questions:

What creatures would you like to observe?

How could you make sure that you observed that creature respectfully? (Suggestions: Stay calm and quiet, try not to make sudden movements, do your best not to interfere with its activities, pick up any trash in the area, quietly draw a picture of what you see, write down notes in your field journal so you remember, make sure to always take with you what you brought, etc.)

Photography by Anna Kay Thomas