Charlotte Observer

Rare, lungless ‘mascot of the mountains’ is in danger, scientists say. Here’s why

A rare lungless creature — speckled with yellow spots — breathes through its skin and lives in ancient rock faces of Appalachia in the southeastern U.S. It’s a “mascot of the mountains” and at risk of ...
AOL

This slimy critter hiding in Eastern KY is rare, but is it on the verge of extinction?

If you’ve seen a strange light and a shadowy figure stalking the bluffs of Eastern Kentucky at night, it’s likely not a cryptid but Kentucky Fish and Wildlife biologist John MacGregor. MacGregor is a ...
Center for Biological Diversity

Rare Appalachian Salamander Moves Closer to Endangered Species Protection

CHARLESTON, W.Va.— The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced today that it would consider protecting the yellow-spotted woodland salamander under the Endangered Species Act. The agency now has 12 ...
WOSU Public Media

Take a hike on the search for Ohio's state amphibian

The spotted salamander is Ohio's state amphibian. This one was discovered in a vernal pond at Indian Creek MetroPark in Reily Township. Salamanders are important indicator species. They are very ...
WOSU Public Media

Early Spring Rains Mean Ohio's State Amphibian Is On The Move

During the first warm rains of early spring, the cold-blooded yellow spotted salamander (Ambystoma maculatum) emerges from its underground burrow to migrate to something called a vernal pool. Vernal ...
Lexington Herald Leader

This slimy critter hiding in Eastern KY is rare, but is it on the verge of extinction?

Autumn colors are on display near Black Mountain, the tallest point in Kentucky, in Harlan County during the 2023 fall foliage season. A small, rarely spotted critter at the center of a debate over ...