amphibians

Hellooooo Big Amphibian!

We went in search of the Coastal Giant Salamander today. It was such fun looking around the woods. We spotted all kinds of critters, insects and such too. We also saw fungus and other kinds of plants. There was so much to see, but the star of the show was the salamander.

Date: 11/29

Location: Pacific Northwest Temperate rainforest

• Coastal giant salamanders has four toes on the front feet and five toes on the back feet.
• They dig small burrows during the rainy season.
• Coastal giant salamanders are known to eat small rodents.
• Coastal giant salamanders are vocal. They can bark and growl.
• They live in streams while they are still larva.

• Adults have a marbled coloration.
• Some adults live their whole lives in water and keep their external gills.

Salamanders are amazing creatures. It fascinates us that not all of them live on land as adults. There are so many wonders in nature! We just love each and every one of them.

Another Newt

We headed back to our main camp by the rainforest to find a very small animal compared to large bears we meet yesterday! We discovered this little amphibian under some rocks and leaves. We did the happy  dance when we met the rough skinned newt!

Date: 11/14

Location: Temperate Rainforest

• Rough skinned newts have rough, bumpy skin as implied by their name.
• They are brownish-black in color with yellow to orange bellies.
• Rough skinned newts feed at night.

• Rough skinned newts toxin is similar to the toxin that puffer fish produce.
• They can live as long as 12 years!
• The common garter snake is the rough skinned newt’s only predator. The snakes have developed immunity to their toxin.

These toxic little amphibians are definitely cute! We had fun looking for them in the rainforest! Of course, it was a look don’t touch expedition for sure though!

Tree Frog Fun!

We headed out with our night vision goggles the day after spotting elk. We had to wait and listen to find the tree dwelling amphibians we were in search for! We spotted those cute little frogs and learned more about them.

Date: 11/8

Location: Pacific Norhtwest

• Pacific Tree Frogs vary in color, from brown to tan to grey.
• Individual frogs can even change color, when they are threatened.
• Pacific tree frogs have sticky pads on their toes to help them climb. These frogs do tend to spend more time on the ground though.
• These frogs are famous for their call. If you hear a frog call on tv on in the movies, it is most likely that of a pacific tree frog.

• The pacific tree frog is the state frog in Washington state.
• Male pacific tree frogs have dark throat pouches.
• They are nocturnal.

We had fun sitting in the forest listening to the frogs sing. It is so peaceful. Edmond even dozed off while we sat there! Hehehehe!

A Frog You Can See Through

Date: 9/27

Location: Cloud forest

• Northern glass frogs like other glass frogs have clear or transparent skin on their bellies.
• The top of the Northern glass frog is a pale green.

• They have yellow suction pads on their toes for gripping and yellow irises in their eyes.
• Northern glass frogs are also known as the Fleischmann’s glass frog.
• They are nocturnal.
• Female glass frogs lay eggs under a leaf over running water. When the eggs hatch, the tadpoles fall into the water to develop.
• Males guard the eggs until they hatch.
• They are arboreal.

It was not easy to climb high up in to the cloud forest today, but it was worth it. Edmond kept saying he wished we’d had frogs to eat all the bugs in our group. Professor Carl did eat a few!  We’ll need heavier mud to cover ourselves next time. But after our long, bug-filled hike, we spotted those cute little frogs. It was totally exciting.