Fauna
Amphibian

Tiger Salamander

Ambystoma tigrinum

Also known as Eastern Tiger Salamander

Tiger salamanders spend most of their adult lives hidden underground in deep burrows excavated by themselves or borrowed from small mammals. Each late winter or early spring, heavy rains draw adults to fishless vernal pools, where males court females by nudging them toward deposited spermatophores. Voracious predators both as aquatic larvae and terrestrial adults, they consume virtually any animal small enough to fit inside their broad mouths.

AmphibianNocturnalBurrowing
Tiger Salamander reference1 / 7
Carla Isabel Ribeiro / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-sa
—observations
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Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preyEarthworms, Beetles, Crickets
Predators
  • Common Garter Snake
  • Raccoon
  • Great Blue Heron
ThreatsHabitat fragmentation, loss of vernal pools, road mortality during breeding migrations, and infectious diseases such as chytrid and ranavirus
HabitatsDeciduous and coniferous forests, grasslands, prairies, and agricultural edges near fishless ephemeral wetlands
Life span12–15 years in the wild, occasionally exceeding 20 years in captivity
Classification
  1. FamilyAmbystomatidae
  2. SpeciesAmbystoma tigrinum
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
  • Breeding Migrations: Scan quiet roadways near wetlands on warm, rainy nights in late winter and early spring to spot migrating adults.
  • Skin Sensitivity: Refrain from handling them, as their porous skin absorbs harmful lotions, bug sprays, and natural salts from human hands.
  • Log Etiquette: Always gently roll back any fallen logs or rocks exactly as found to protect the damp microclimates beneath.
Related species
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