They definitely don’t call this place the Salamander Capital of the World for nothing. The reasons I applied for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park were black bears, its history, and salamanders. My introduction to the salamanders of the Smokies was at Purchase Knob, from that day later, I continued to explore the park looking for salamanders. I learned how to manage them through park ranger training and Hellbender census with EBCI. I realized their species can vary by habitat differentiations and altitud change, and so I set to explore all corners of the Smokies. Thanks to my will for exploring wildlife, I was able to find over a hundred salamanders across the park.

Purchase Knob (05/27/22)

This is where my fire for salamanders started. Hence from this moment I propose myself to keep on exploring for salamanders.

Three species:

• Southern Red-backed Salamander (Plethodon serratus)
• Southern Gray-cheeked Salamander (Plethodon metcalfi)
• Southern Appalachian Salamander (Plethodon teyahalee)

Mingus Mill (05/28/22)

Mingus Mill would be around 0.6 miles from my federal housing. When I wanted to see salamanders or water, I would walk to the Mill and hike the Mingus Mill Creek Trail. This trail has several creek crossings by bridges. It is surrounded by moist and wet rock habitats for salamanders to rest in. I went several times and did various salamander searches.

Three species:

• Black-chinned Red Salamander (Plethodon ruber)
• Dusky salamanders
• Seal Salamander (Desmognathus monticola)

Mingus Mill (05/29/22)

Three species:

• Seal Salamander (Desmognathus monticola)
• Northern Slimy Salamander (Plethodon glutinosus)
• Southern Red-backed Salamander (Plethodon Serratus)
• Dusky salamanders

Spruce-Fir Nature Trail (06/22/22)

The Spruce-Fir Nature Trail is a salamander haven. The amount of salamanders observed here surpass any other sites of the Smokies. I was able to count around 30 Red-cheeked Salamanders in just under 5 minutes. I prefer this place remains undisturbed for the benefit of our salamander friends.

Two species:

1. Blue Ridge Spring Salamander(Gyrinophilusporphyriticus danielsi)
2. Red-cheeked Salamander (Plethodon jordani)

Spruce Fir Nature Trail (07/02/22)

Four species:

• Red-cheeked Salamander (Plethodon jordani)
• Blue Ridge Spring Salamander (Gyrinophilus porphyriticus)
• Ocoee Salamander (Desmognathus ocoee)
• Imitator Salamander (Desmognathus imitator)

One of my favorite pictures of the

Red-cheeked Salamander (Plethodon jordani)

Rainbow Falls (07/03/22)

The base of the waterfall seems to be a perfect habitat for salamanders. The waterfall brings down their nutrients with all the water. They just lay at the bottom and wait.

Two species:

• Blue Ridge Two-lined Salamander (Eurycea wilderae)
• Cherokee Blackbelly Salamander (Desmognathus gvnigeusgwotli)

Spruce Fir Nature Trail (07/06/22)

Four species:

• Blue Ridge Two-lined Salamander (Eurycea wilderae)
• Dusky Salamander
• Ocoee Salamander (Desmognathus ocoee)
• Blue Ridge Spring Salamander (Gyrinophilus porphyriticus)

Raven Fork (07/22/22)

Today was a very special day. was able to find the most wanted Eastern Hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis alleganiensis), one, if not the most important salamander I had to see before leaving.

One species:

• Eastern Hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis alleganiensis)

Twentymile Loop (07/30/22)

This was a very intense hike, where I walked 22 miles in under 7 hours. So most of the time I was walking more than looking for salamanders, I can still confirm other species like Seal Salamanders and Dusky Salamanders.

One species:

• Northern Slimy Salamander (Plethodon glutinosis)

Appalachian Trail from Newfound Gap (07/

Spruce Fir Nature Trail (08/05/22)

You can count 31 Red-cheeked or Jordani Salamanders in under four minutes in the following two videos.

One species:

• Red-cheeked Salamander (Plethodon jordani)

List of salamander species:

• Southern Red-backed Salamander (Plethodon serratus)
• Southern Gray-cheeked Salamander (Plethodon metcalfi)
• Southern Appalachian Salamander (Plethodon teyahalee)
• Black-chinned Red Salamander (Plethodon ruber)
• Dusky salamanders
• Seal Salamander (Desmognathus monticola)
• Red-cheeked Salamander (Plethodon jordani)
• Blue Ridge Spring Salamander (Gyrinophilus porphyriticus)
• Ocoee Salamander (Desmognathus ocoee)
• Imitator Salamander (Desmognathus imitator)
• Blue Ridge Two-lined Salamander (Eurycea wilderae)
• Cherokee Blackbelly Salamander (Desmognathus gvnigeusgwotli)
• Northern Slimy Salamander (Plethodon glutinosis)
• Eastern Hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis alleganiensis)

I think I did a good job at finding salamanders, 14 different salamander species were documented and identified through images with the help of iNaturalist. Others may have been sighted but not identified. Looking for salamanders can be a super fun job, it’s also very important to practice safe herpetology, to avoid giving unnecessary stress to the animal and protect him. Always remember to avoid skin contact with them and as long as you turn the rocks back carefully and properly manage the salamanders, keep on herping.

If we don’t protect these incredible animals, children in the future

will mythologize salamanders like we mythologize dinosaurs.