PEAKS, VIRGINIA -- When drizzly dark falls on a small pocket of woods high in the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests, just off the Blue Ridge Parkway, the ground glitters. Many Peaks of Otter salamanders, their lungless brown bodies with flecks of brass, have emerged to prey on ants, ticks, earthworms and the like.
The fairyland scene has persisted for decades thanks to conservation of the salamander’s habitat by the U.S. Forest Service and National Park Service, with the guidance of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and research by Liberty University, Washington and Lee University, and Virginia Tech. The Fish and Wildlife Service recently reviewed the species’ status, determining that despite the salamander’s narrow 45-square-mile range, its distribution and numbers demonstrate that the conservation effort has and will continue to provide a secure future for the Peaks of Otter salamander.
“This is a great example of collaborative conservation,” said Wendi Weber, the Fish and Wildlife Service North Atlantic-Appalachian Regional Director. “Together, biologists, landowners and land managers identified the conservation needs of this salamander and took action. We especially applaud the National Park Service and U.S. Forest Service for their foresight and commitment.”
The salamander joins the ranks of more than 190 other species in the eastern U.S. whose populations have been determined to be stable thanks to research and conservation by federal, tribal, state, private and non-governmental partners. The effort to conserve at-risk wildlife and recover listed species is led by the Fish and Wildlife Service and state wildlife agencies in coordination with many other entities. Partners commit to finding solutions that keep working lands working and conserve wildlife and their habitats, such that some at-risk species may avoid becoming threatened or endangered at all.
Agency officials were joined today by university researchers at Sunset Field Overlook along the parkway to tour the species’ habitat and reiterate their ongoing commitment to its conservation. Most of the salamander’s habitat is protected by the U.S. Forest Service and the National Park Service.
“The forest plan for the Jefferson National Forest incorporates measures that allow the Forest Service to continue our multiple use mission, including providing recreational access and carrying out restoration activities, while still meeting our shared objective of protecting the salamander,” said Joby Timm, Forest Supervisor for the George Washington and Jefferson National Forest. “This partnership between federal agencies and researchers further enhances our ability to incorporate the best available science into our land management.”
The Peaks of Otter salamander has no lungs, breathing entirely through the tissues in its mouth and skin. Preserving adequate tree cover to prevent the sun from drying soil and leaf litter is crucial as the salamander relies on adequate ground moisture to keep its skin moist enough to breathe and to forage successfully in the forest.
“As is often the case with the preservation of the park experience on this narrow strip of land, we recognize that this important work could not occur without the commitment of our partners,” said J.D. Lee, Superintendent of the Blue Ridge Parkway. “It is my commitment that we will continue to be good stewards to this species and good partners for researchers and federal agencies so that this species may continue to thrive.”
Because of the importance of maintaining the habitat and microclimate, timber harvest has been managed for over two decades, beginning in 1997 with a multi-agency habitat conservation agreement aimed to ensure that habitat and canopy cover remain intact. In the species’ primary conservation area conservation area
A conservation area is a type of national wildlife refuge that consists primarily or entirely of conservation easements on private lands. These conservation easements support private landowner efforts to protect important habitat for fish and wildlife and major migration corridors while helping to keep agricultural lands in production.
Learn more about conservation area , there is no commercial tree harvesting, and in the secondary area, timber harvest activities follow guidelines for maintaining habitat for the salamander as directed by the forest management plan.
“The existing conservation plan has been able to protect the species while also allowing a variety of compatible land uses in the area,” said David Marsh, Washington and Lee University professor of biology. “Our research finds relatively high genetic diversity in the Peaks of Otter salamander, and population densities remain high in core habitat areas.”
In the core of its range, the Peaks of Otter salamander dominates the terrestrial salamander community and can be found at densities ranging from 1.6 to 3.3 salamanders per square meter. At the edge of its range, competition with the eastern redbacked salamander likely limits the range of the Peaks of Otter salamander in areas that would otherwise be habitable for this species.
“Our projects have helped demonstrate the abundance, movements and feeding habitats of the Peaks of Otter salamander, as well as its response to timber harvest and the factors that influence its range,” said Norman Reichenbach, Liberty University professor of biology. “Careful monitoring and managing low elevation areas and areas where the Peaks of Otter salamander is sympatric with the eastern redbacked salamander are critical for the long-term survival of this species.”
The Fish and Wildlife Service’s status assessment, which is a peer- and partner-reviewed analysis incorporating the best available science on the species, is available online: https://ecos.fws.gov/ecp0/profile/speciesProfile?spcode=D01D.
