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North Carolina -- March 7, 2024: Great Smoky National Parks -- Spring is on the horizon! It is only right to put a spotlight on
a creature that calls Great Smoky Mountains National Park home and shares its name with the coming season!
The Spring Salamander (Gyrinophilus porphyriticus) is 1 out of 31 species of salamanders in the park, helping to make Great Smoky Mountains National Park the salamander capital of the world, with more species of salamanders than any other place on earth. Spring Salamanders are a fairly large species of salamander that can grow up to 5-7 inches long and are known for their two distinct dark lines which run from their eyes to their snout. These lines outline what is known as their canthus rostralis! It is common for this carnivore to feed on other smaller salamanders such as the Pygmy Salamander (Desmognathus wrighti).
If you see a salamander in the park, remember to look with your eyes and not your hands. Substances found on our hands can cause sickness or death to many salamander species because of their porous skin, which they breathe through.
Have you ever spotted a Spring Salamander in the park?
Photo Credits: Kenzie Connor
