The Salamander’s Secret World

The Salamander’s Secret World

June, 30 2025

by Renée DeVincent

The United States is a salamander paradise thanks to the cool, moist forests and clean streams. There are about 190 species of salamanders found here. That’s more than anywhere else in the world. Most of them live in the Appalachian Mountains and the Southeastern U.S.  In this blog, you’ll discover where salamanders live, what they eat, and how they help keep backyard ecosystems healthy.

5 Short Facts About Salamanders 🦎

• Salamanders can freeze solid in winter and survive.
• Some salamanders glow under UV light!
• Many salamanders don't have lungs, they breathe through their skin.
• Salamanders can regrow parts of their brain.
• The axolotl salamander stays in its aquatic “baby” form for its whole life.
  

What’s a Salamander, Anyway?

Salamanders are slippery, sneaky creatures that most people never see, but they’re all around us! These amphibians have smooth skin, long tails, and small, webbed toes. They live part of their lives in water and part on land, often hiding under logs or leaves where it’s cool and damp.

Salamanders help nature by eating bugs, feeding other animals, and showing scientists how healthy the environment is. Their skin is super sensitive, like a living warning system!

They may look like lizards, but they’re not! Lizards have dry, scaly skin and claws. Salamanders are soft, moist, and claw-free.

Salamander Life Cycle

Just like frogs, salamanders go through a life cycle that changes as they grow. Here's how it works for most species:

Egg Stage

Salamanders lay soft, jelly-like eggs in water or wet places, like under leaves or in damp soil. Some lay one egg at a time, while others lay big clumps.

Larva Stage

When the eggs hatch, baby salamanders, known as larvae, emerge.

• They live in water, like tadpoles
• They have gills that stick out from the sides of their heads to help them breathe
• They eat tiny insects and bugs in the water

Juvenile Stage

As they grow, the larvae lose their gills and grow legs.

• Some salamanders leave the water and live on land
• Others stay in the water their whole lives (like mudpuppies)

Adult Stage

Now they look like full-grown salamanders.

• Most can live both on land and near water
• They hunt for bugs, worms, and snails
• Some return to ponds to lay eggs and start the cycle again

🌟 Fun Fact: Not all salamanders follow the same plan. Newts have an extra stage (called a red eft), and some, like the axolotl, never grow out of the larva stage at all!

Salamanders in Your Backyard

You don’t need a deep forest to find salamanders. You can find them right in your backyard if you know where to look. They can be found in wet soil, leaf piles, rocks, old logs, a pond, stream, or even a shady rain garden.

Salamanders are helpful creatures. They are like tiny backyard bug busters, eating ants, slugs, beetles, and other pests that snack on your garden. At the same time, they serve as a snack for birds, snakes, and raccoons, playing an important role in the food web.

Their soft skin makes them super sensitive to changes in the environment. If salamanders are thriving in your yard, it’s a good sign that your soil, water, and air are healthy too!



🛑 Helpful tip: Never pick up a salamander with dry hands—the oils and heat from our skin can hurt them. Just watch quietly and let them do their sneaky salamander thing.

Article Sources:

Smithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute

NY State Department of Environmental Conservation

National Wildlife Federation

Missouri Department of Education

Britannica