Our puppy, Mikey, found this little guy walking in our front yard today.He didn't seem dangerous and was very camera shy.And he doesn't exactly look like a prairie dweller.
Anybody know what he is?
We called them "mud puppies" i.e. salamander. They are pretty interesting to watch. We used to catch them in our damp dark cellar and then scare each other!! Just like kids.
I thought he looked like a type of salamander but I've never seen one that big and I've never seen one here on the prairies. I thought it was too dry. We had a good rain last night so he must have decided it was a good day to cruise around in the wet grass. Thanks for the info!
Agreed on the tiger salamander. Interesting - it made me look up its prevalence in your area (I think the lake helps, it says they burrow 2' deep?!)
"One of our most common and frequently seen amphibians, the tiger salamander is typically found in the short-grass prairie, aspen parkland, boreal forest, and subalpine areas of central and southern Alberta."
He didn't seem dangerous and was very camera shy.
And he doesn't exactly look like a prairie dweller.
8 comments:
he's a salamander- (i forget what kind exactly) in search of a wet, dirty place to hibernate. I am surprised you haven't seen them before!
Looks like a tiger salamander.
We called them "mud puppies" i.e. salamander. They are pretty interesting to watch. We used to catch them in our damp dark cellar and then scare each other!! Just like kids.
Blessings
I thought he looked like a type of salamander but I've never seen one that big and I've never seen one here on the prairies. I thought it was too dry. We had a good rain last night so he must have decided it was a good day to cruise around in the wet grass.
Thanks for the info!
Agreed on the tiger salamander. Interesting - it made me look up its prevalence in your area (I think the lake helps, it says they burrow 2' deep?!)
"One of our most common and frequently seen amphibians, the tiger salamander is typically found in the short-grass prairie, aspen parkland, boreal forest, and subalpine areas of central and southern Alberta."
From http://talkaboutwildlife.ca/profile/?s=601
WELL! There you go! Funny I lived here 8 years before I saw one.
COOL!
Mudpuppies are aquatic salamanders.
http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/amphibians/mudpuppy/
(Used to work with amphibians, forgive the pedantic geekiness.)
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