Salamander Day: 2014

Every year when the right time comes (depending on my location), I make an effort to go out and search for salamanders and newts. What started as an attempt to photograph the elusive fire salamander (Salamandra infraimmaculata) in Israel has become almost an annual celebration to appreciate the local amphibian fauna.

Redback salamander (Plethodon cinereus)

Redback salamander (Plethodon cinereus)

 

Why salamanders of all things? Very early in my days as a naturalist I was under the impression that salamanders in Israel are super-rare. But at some point I realized that while they were uncommonly seen, it is not necessarily because they were rare. Salamanders have very localized populations, and the adult salamanders are active on the ground surface only a few days per year during the breeding season. You need to know exactly when and where to look for them, and then you can actually observe quite many individuals.

Spotted salamander (Ambystoma maculatum) from Ontario, Canada. Unfortunately I did not find them this year.

Spotted salamander (Ambystoma maculatum) from Ontario, Canada. Unfortunately I did not find them this year.

 

There are rare species of salamanders for sure, don’t get me wrong. And this is where knowing your local amphibian fauna plays an important role.
Salamanders, and amphibians in general, are not only super cute (see in the below photo) but they are also very important bioindicators. They breathe and absorb water through their moist skin, and they at a high risk of absorbing various chemical compounds found in their surroundings. As a result they are some of the first organisms to suffer from pollution or habitat disturbance (as well as many other factors). Surveying and monitoring the local amphibian populations can assist substantially in understanding their condition and the health of the whole ecosystem.

Portrait of the redback salamander (Plethodon cinereus)

Portrait of the redback salamander (Plethodon cinereus)

 

In the past few years I have been “celebrating” Salamander Day in southern Ontario Canada, where I regularly find four species of salamanders right after the snow melts: the common redback salamander (Plethodon cinereus), spotted salamander (Ambystoma maculatum), blue-spotted salamander (Ambystoma laterale), and the rarer Jefferson salamander (Ambystoma jeffersonianum), all showing stable populations. I am sure there are more species to be found; for example, I have been trying to locate a population of Eastern newt (Notophthalmus viridescens) but was unsuccessful. This year I was a bit too late in the season to search for salamanders because of a research trip to Israel. My intention was to photograph them for Meet Your Neighbours biodiversity project (a topic for a separate post) against a white background using a potable field studio. Unfortunately, I only found two species out of the four I usually find, but they were very cooperative during the quick photoshoot.

Jefferson salamander (Ambystoma jeffersonianum)

Jefferson salamander (Ambystoma jeffersonianum)

 

Portrait of Jefferson salamander (Ambystoma jeffersonianum)

Portrait of Jefferson salamander (Ambystoma jeffersonianum)

 

The setup I used for photographing the salamanders against a white background, for Meet Your Neighbours project

The setup I used for photographing the salamanders against a white background, for Meet Your Neighbours project

 

I encourage everyone to go out and look for amphibians in activity. And when you find them – be happy about it. It is a good sign that natural processes are functioning properly in your area (unless you are located in a part of the world where the only amphibians you can find are invasive species. Sigh… that is not a good sign).

Female Jefferson salamander (Ambystoma jeffersonianum) from last year's Salamander Day

Female Jefferson salamander (Ambystoma jeffersonianum) from last year’s Salamander Day

3 thoughts on “Salamander Day: 2014

  1. Fantastic shots Gil. Surely most people in Ontario don’t know these delightful animals are crawling around under their feet. I am always surprised just how big and muscly the Ambystomatids are, the wide angle shots really capture their regality. The portraits of the red-backed and the jefferson’s are just great. I really like how you can see all the little blobs of color on the red-backed. Also, I hadn’t noticed their little mustache before but I’ve seen it on other Plethodontids. I guess I hadn’t looked at the right angle 🙂


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