Rare salamander found in new area
The rare green salamander had never been documented in the Highlands area before, but a September excursion to the Overflow Wilderness Study Area in the Nantahala National Forest resulted in an exciting discovery.
The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission verified the find, reported by Kyle Pursel of the Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust. Pursel had been hiking the area with staff from The Wilderness Society, specifically looking for green salamanders.
Green salamanders “seem to be pretty sensitive to disturbance, so having a largely pristine and undisturbed place is great for them,” Pursel said.
North Carolina is home to more than 65 species of salamanders, 50 of which live in Western North Carolina. The Southern Appalachians as a whole contain the world’s greatest diversity of salamander species.
Though the green salamander occurs in other Southern Appalachian states, in North Carolina it’s found in only two distinct population clusters — along the Transylvania/Henderson county line and at the junction of Macon, Jackson and Transylvania counties.
