Autumn has arrived and forest floors are covered with thousands of leaves in a wide variety of colors. Most amphibians in Western Europe are now searching for a place to hibernate and the Fire Salamander (Salamandra salamandra) is one of the
only you may still encounter during a humid autumn night. An extra reason to drive carefully through forests areas at night… During the day they often hide under dead wood and when it gets dark they come out to forage and mate. Their beautiful black and yellow coloration is a warning to predators, as the entire skin is covered with glands secreting a toxic white substance when threatened.
I spent some very rainy days in France last weekend, where we encountered several of these lovely salamanders.