Where have all the salamanders gone? (NE Indiana)

[beeeman]

I remember growing up on the outskirts of Fort Wayne and finding quite a few salamanders under rocks /logs/etc. At least I called them salamanders... little 4" long black or brown smooth skinned reptiles. This would be 25 years ago... Now I can't recall seeing them in years. Anyone experience this?

 

[mrjarrell]

They've been dying off all over the country for years now. Lots of reasons that all add up to a catastrophe.

Amphibians in U.S. Declining at ?Alarming and Rapid Rate? | Extinction Countdown, Scientific American Blog Network

 

[eric001]

The really nasty ones have all been elected to state or federal legislatures. Had to keep the skunks and weasels company dontcha know.

 

[Rock River]

They're still out there, maybe not as plentiful as they once were but my boys always find at least one when we're hiking. Rolling over logs in the woods turns one up eventually.

 

[Tactically Fat]

Something else:

It's also still quite cool/cold - especially in NEI. Give it time to warm up and you'll begin to see more of them out and about.

 

[spencer rifle]

Salamanders are amphibians, not reptiles. We have about no lizards (reptiles) in NE Indiana - maybe a stray fence lizard or two. Salamanders have already laid eggs around here, having migrated from the surrounding forests to vernal pools in various parks and wooded areas during the rains earlier this spring. They are out there, just more difficult to find. Application of pesticides to residential areas is detrimental to them, and they tend to be nocturnal anyway.

There are still plenty of spring peepers, chorus frogs and toads, if the sound coming from the local park is any indication.

 

[indiucky]

I see this Newt on TV every now and again...

 

[tmschuller]

Find them on our place Grant county quite often, in the barn and found one in the basement. Have a large one that lives in the culvert under our driveway. Stuck my hand in there to clean it out and pulled a large salamander out instead.. some are almost purple with black. Keep searching.

 

[beeeman]

Thanks for the replies! I'll be a little more focused this spring, maybe there are still some out there!