09/10/2026
Latodami Nature Center is home to many soggy places like wetlands, streams, forest floors and more which means we are no stranger to salamanders! 🦎
Salamanders are amphibians with slender bodies and long tails. Being amphibians, they live part of their lives in water and part on land and must always keep their skin moist to assist with respiration, nutrient absorption, and protection. In Pennsylvania, we have 5 distinct salamander families:
1. Mole Salamanders (Ambystomatidae) - Species that spend most of their lives underground, like the Spotted Salamander
2. Giant Salamanders (Cryptobranchidae) - Huge salamanders, with Pennsylvania's only being the Eastern Hellbender
3. Lungless Salamanders (Plethodontidae) - Species that breathe entirely through their skin, like the Northern Dusky Salamander
4. Mudpuppies and Waterdogs (Proteidae) - Aquatic salamanders that keep their gills, like the Common Mudpuppy
5. Newts (Salamandridae) - Salamanders with rougher skin, like the Eastern Newt
At Latodami Nature Center, you are most likely to spot species like the Two-lined Salamander, Northern Dusky Salamander, and Long-tailed Salamander.
We all love these adorable creatures, but their populations here in North Park and worldwide are struggling. Why?
1. Pollution - sediment, pesticides, fertilizers, herbicides, abandoned mine drainage and more can pollute their habitats and make it hard for them to live and breathe.
2. Habitat Loss - stream sedimentation, removal of forest floor debris, and development are removing places for them to live and raise their young.
3. Invasive Species - species like stilt grass have grown quickly to cover preferred habitats, and invasive worms disturb the soil.
4. Climate Change - warming waterways reduces the ability for oxygen absorption.
Salamanders need your help! Learn more, teach your friends, eliminate your use of chemicals, plant more trees, stay on trails, and NEVER pick them up to ensure our future is filled with these adorable (and important) amphibians!
