You May Find These Kentucky Salamanders Playing in the Snow

When I think of salamanders, I think of when I was a kid playing in creeks at Summer Camp. Trying to find frogs and little slimy things near the water or under leaves and rocks. We'd catch them and keep them as sidekicks while we ran around and then put them back where we found them.

Salamanders are a sign of a healthy ecosystem. Most of them thrive during warm weather months and then brumate like other amphibians during cold weather. Hibernating and hiding safely underground. Then some are called "winter-active." I would have never thought a salamander would enjoy "playing" in the snow, but it's true and they live right here in Kentucky.

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Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife shares this regarding amphibians in the Bluegrass State.

 

Kentucky’s amphibians occur in a wide variety of places. Some kinds are largely or totally terrestrial, while others are entirely aquatic throughout their life cycle. Some are found only in swamps and/or bottomland forests bordering the Mississippi River and lower Ohio River, while others prefer upland forests in various sections of the state or even the high elevation northern hardwood forests in extreme southeastern Kentucky. A few even occupy open grasslands and prairie remnants.

And then there are the ones who build little salamander snowmen! Just kidding, but wouldn't that be cute? Red-backed salamanders, Ravine Salamanders, and Zig Zag Salamanders as featured on the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Facebook page.

Some salamander species are studied, tracked, and monitored in conservation efforts across the state. You can learn more about how to support vulnerable Kentucky wildlife by following Kentucky Wild on social media or online.