Appalachian Forest Salamanders

The Hidden Jewels of Appalachia

by Joe Milmoe

Below is a short film created by Joe Milmoe, The Hidden Jewels of Appalachia that does a good job of introducing you to the great diversity of salamanders found in the Appalachian Mountains.



One of Shenandoah National Park's star salamanders is the Red-Spotted Newt.


http://srelherp.uga.edu/salamanders/notvir.htm





 Newts are unique in that they have three distinct lifestyles.    They start as tadpoles in freshwater pools, change into a terrestrial stage (Red efts) pictured above.   This is the stage they are most recognized for. Their bright coloration warns predators that their skin contains a powerful neurotoxin called tetrodotoxin.   Red-Spotted Newts live three years on land but up to fifteen years total.   Their last stage is another adult aquatic stage during which they are a dull green and breed the next generation.   Credit for above information goes to Nature Guide to Shenandoah National Park by Ann and Rob Simpson:


  http://www.flyingfishphotography.com/bio/ann-rob-simpson-simpsons-nature-photography/


The film follows:

"Very high aquatic diversity. America’s eastern forest’s aquatic diversity is the highest in all of the temperate world. Our native forest shelters half of the world’s crayfish species, nearly 10% of its turtles, nearly 40% of its salamanders, and almost 30% of its fresh-water mussels. One watershed in Tennessee has more fish species than all of Europe. The eastern United States has nearly 350 species of fresh-water mussels compared to only ten found in Europe, and only a handful of species in western United States."  

Extracted From the Arc Of Appalachia's website located at:     

http://arcofappalachia.org/biome/invisible-forest.html

Wilderness Weekend Sun 10/18/2009

Wilderness Weekend LET IT SNOW
Sunday October 18, 2009

The PATC Trail Patrol Wilderness Weekend crew who stayed at Pinnacles Research Station Saturday Night awoke to the FIRST SNOW OF 2009. Today was one of those days when Skyline Drive was in Winter while the rest of the area including Old Rag was still experiencing Fall. Under 200 hikers on Old Rag today. During a more typical October weekend we would have over 1,000 hikers on Old Rag.

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A rare blog picture of me in a Shenandoah Winter Wonderland.

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While I did Wilderness Weekend outreach on Saturday today I was going to be doing an Old Rag Patrol. This is a sign at one of the Skyline Drive overlooks from which you can see Old Rag on a clear day.

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This was the sign at the Thorton Gap entrance station.

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Part way up the Old Rag Ridge Trail we ran into a little Red Spotted Newt

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Looking up the Ridge from the first slab on the first false summit.

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Looking up the Ridge Trail just before entering the rock scramble.

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Looking up the rock scramble from above the cave but below the chute.

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Stitch of Summit views.

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Stitched photo of summit views.