As a little girl with only sisters and no brothers, my father took it upon himself to desensitize us to the wonders of the forests we lived around and all its creepy crawly inhabitants. These frequent routines involved lifting rocks, walking in ponds, and climbing trees to find the best snakes, frogs, and bugs of all sizes. We learned the right way to search, catch, observe, and then release, each little creature of the forests. These are the memories I have cherished my whole adult life, and I am now sharing them with you. Take heed, as below I have written slightly over exaggerated, but very effective, step by step instructions to search, catch, observe, and then release one of my favorite amphibians, the most humble salamander.
To get started, wander into a heavily wooded area and then keep wandering until you are as lost as you could possibly be. You’ll know you're in the right place when the trees are all you can see, the ground is speckled in patches of dewy moss, and decomposing foliage is the bedding of the earth. You want to see a good amount of fallen trees on the ground floor, this is where our little friends should be living.
Once you have located a good tree graveyard, immediately start ripping off the bark of the trunks. If you can easily tear a chunk of wood off that is a good decomposing age and the perfect habitat for a salamander. Continue to tear through the trees innards, keep a sharp eye and agile hands, as salamanders are fast and will dart past you if you aren't fast enough.
Another method to successfully locating a salamander, is pulling the layers of the decomposing tree off slowly and again, keeping a sharp eye out for any movement. This way you have more time in setting your eyes in a stagnant amphibian still in shock.
The breaking apart of the trees will take multiple tries and sometimes it's just not the right season and you may need to either try a different forest or season.
If you do see movement quickly but carefully try to put your hand, or net, over the darting salamander. They are typically smaller in size so be sure to maintain extreme delicacy in catching these little guys. If you manage to get your hand over one slowly close your hand and put it straight into your bucket. There you will be able to safely observe your new found friend for a limited time.
I personally like to sketch out my little critter and get some good pictures to commemorate our successful interaction.
Once all documentation and appreciation has been made, replace the salamander carefully back to its decomposing tree if it is still intact with reliable hiding areas. If you completely broke apart the tree to its entirety, find another tree with a loose bark and slip the salamander underneath the bark. They know what to do from there.
Now, take this exhilarating experience, and find more adventures to go on.
