Salado Salamander (Eurycea chisholmensis)

From U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Southwest Region:

At the northern edge of the Edwards Plateau, in Salado Texas, if you are lucky, you can find the Salado salamander (Eurycea chisholmensis). This salamander has been historically hard to find within the established critical habitat of the springs downtown. The Texas Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office removed a beaver dam near the Robertson Springs that was causing water to back up into the spring run. This pooling of water created silty and muddy substrate, submerged springs and allowed large bodied predators (fish) to move freely within the potential salamander habitat. Since the removal of the dam the water surface within the springs has lowered, thereby removing the large bodied predators that were once present waiting for an easy meal.

Photo: Salado Salamander by Nathan Bendic/CIty of Austin, TX

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