Salamanders are so under appreciated! I feel like the only ones that ever get any attention are axolotls. Though I adore axolotls and have a massive axolotl tattoo, I still feel the love should be shared!
A couple of the ecology papers I have read on them estimate that within their habitat they are one of the most abundant predators and have a population density of one animal per square 0.5 meter
Holy moly!!! I would go totally insane if my conspecifics were only a handful of human body lengths away. Definitely a WAY different definition of personal space!
My daughter and I used to go to a certain nature center in MI which was rife w red backs. Our record was twelve under a single (maybe 4’?) log. When we moved to NH, my daughter said “Dad, I think they all followed us!”
Here, though, we haven’t seen any of the leadback vars…
I wouldn’t doubt that. I went out on a short 1 hour herping hike at a local park one time and managed to find over twenty red backed salamanders of all different sexes, ages and even some with missing appendages.
Very cool. Hopefully you don’t mind me showing off one I found? Hiding under a fallen tree. Blue spotted salamander in Nw Indiana. Mix of maple and oak leaves for reference
